JFAC approves $1.06 million Department of Correction supplemental for body-worn camera pilot

Noah Peterson, a budget policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, briefed the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on a supplemental appropriation request for the Department of Correction’s State Prisons Division to begin a body-worn camera pilot.

“This is for a body worn camera pilot program that came from a federal grant,” Peterson said, describing the request as a first-year appropriation that contains the federal grant dollars and a small state match.

The motion before the committee, offered by Senator Wintrow, described a one‑time addition of $27,000 from the general fund and $1,023,900 from federal funds for a total of $1,058,900 for the pilot. Peterson told the committee the grant was applied for and received in federal fiscal year 2025 and that appropriating the federal dollars now allows the Department of Correction to remain within the federal grant parameters and start the program on schedule. He also said a state match will appear in the Department of Correction’s FY2026 budget and that additional requests would be forthcoming as the pilot continues.

Senator Galloway asked why the pilot was not being handled as a supplemental in the usual timing; Peterson answered that the grant’s timing required the appropriation to allow the department to begin the program under the grant’s conditions.

The committee approved the motion on a roll call. The meeting record shows the majority of the Senate voted in favor (8 ayes, 1 nay, 1 absent/excused) and the House produced 7 ayes, 3 nays; the combined totals announced were 15 ayes, 4 nays, 1 absent/excused. At least one named negative vote during roll call was Representative Price, who was recorded as voting nay.

The committee forwarded the supplemental with a do-pass recommendation. Committee comments emphasized the procedural need to align appropriation timing with federal grant acceptance so the pilot can begin on schedule.