The Senate State Affairs Committee adopted a committee substitute and reported Senate Bill 14, legislation addressing public access to certain law‑enforcement personnel files. The bill would make substantiated misconduct findings in agency personnel files available through public records, while keeping “unsubstantiated” claims private in response to concerns about reputational harm.

Sen. King, who explained the substitute language, told the committee the change was largely technical: the substitute “basically just adds 3 words or 4 words as required by law,” and was intended to ensure the measure aligns with existing disclosure requirements. Committee members questioned how the bill would interact with civil‑court processes and ongoing investigations. One committee member raised a scenario in which an officer resigns during an investigation; witnesses and the author said recent statutory changes require agencies to complete such investigations and to make prior employment files available to prospective hiring agencies.

The author and witnesses emphasized that the bill would not alter disclosure of records that become part of court proceedings — for instance, if an officer is sued or if criminal charges are pursued, court procedure would render the records available. The substitute also clarified that disclosures required under other laws or obligations (for example, Brady disclosures) remain mandatory where applicable.

The committee voted to report SB 14 favorably to the full Senate (recorded 8 ayes, 0 nays). The substitute was adopted before the committee vote.