Committee advances West bill requiring cameras in infant/toddler rooms, sets 60‑day retention and audit rules

The House Judiciary and Civil Law Committee on March 27 adopted an A2 amendment and recommended House File 1915, a bill by Representative Nolan West that would require cameras in infant and toddler rooms and in fenced outdoor play areas at licensed daycare centers, set a 60‑day minimum footage retention period and add role‑based access and audit‑trail requirements for stored video.

Representative Nolan West, the bill’s sponsor, said the proposal is driven by cases in which short retention windows prevented evidence of abuse from being preserved. “The only reason that we made it to that point…the only reason these people are facing some sort of consequences…is because of the camera footage,” West said, recounting his family’s experience and explaining that the bill expands retention to 60 days (originally proposed at 90) to balance evidence preservation and cost for providers.

Under the committee’s A2 amendment, the bill requires centers to maintain written policies describing which locations are monitored, establishes role‑based access (for example, directors or assistant directors) and requires inspectors to include compliance checks and audit‑trail reviews during license inspections. The amendment also obliges centers to redact identifying information when footage is later used for staff training unless all individuals shown give written consent.

The bill limits parental access to footage: parents may view footage when there is documented harm to the child (for example, medical documentation of injury or a new physical impairment) or during disciplinary proceedings against an employee; in those cases parents may view but are not entitled to an unrestricted copy. Representative West told the committee that centers may use either closed‑circuit or Wi‑Fi cameras; the bill does not require closed‑circuit systems but the sponsor recommended them because Wi‑Fi systems can be less secure.

Three parents testified in favor of the bill. Janice Deganda said her infant was abused at a daycare and that police were able to identify abusers only because footage had been preserved; she told the committee the center kept footage only seven days and that several families could not pursue charges for lack of video. “We need to be able to feel safe that our children are safe when they are not in our care,” Deganda said.

Suzanne Dickenson, Deganda’s mother, described similar concerns and said longer retention and parental access would help families and aid investigations. Joshua Truax, another parent, urged the committee to require cameras with audio “at minimum in all baby and toddler rooms,” and suggested retention be extended to six months in cases involving injury.

Committee members spoke in favor and also raised implementation concerns. Representative Finke noted many children are cared for in family home settings that would not automatically be covered and urged attention to equity and cost. Chair West and supporters said the bill targets licensed centers and that further work will take place in the Children and Families committee to address cost and coverage.

The chair renewed the motion to re‑refer House File 1915, as amended, to the Committee on Children and Families Finance and Policy; members voted aye by voice and the motion carried.