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Senate committee advances bill to limit inmates' access to crime‑scene photos
Summary
The State Agencies & Gov't Affairs Senate committee advanced SB 172 to restrict incarcerated people from obtaining crime‑scene photos as souvenirs while preserving access for defense needs; sponsors said the change closes a loophole and the bill moves to the next stage after a committee vote.
Senator Leding introduced SB 172, saying the bill was drafted with the Department of Corrections and defense attorneys to stop incarcerated people from obtaining photos related to their crimes for non‑defensive purposes. "They're collecting them, unfortunately, as souvenirs or trophies, and so that's clearly unacceptable," the sponsor told the committee.
The bill preserves prisoners' and attorneys' rights to records when there is an "express need" for defense or appeal work, the sponsor said, and the Attorney General's office was added via amendment as an agency with explicit access rights. Representative Kendon Underwood was added as a cosponsor in the House, the presenter said.
Committee members pressed several drafting points. Senator Clark asked whether language referring to "state or federal law" could include statutes, regulations, or a governor's emergency declaration and questioned the use of the disjunctive "or" versus "and" in a provision that applies to the governor and the state board. Senator Clark also asked about the inclusion of compensatory damages and attorneys' fees and where any award would be paid from; the sponsor and supporters said they would research whether awards would be handled through the state's claims commission and bring that clarification to the floor.
Supporters framed the bill as a narrow fix to close a misuse of existing records access. After questions, Senator Bledsoe moved the committee to pass SB 172; Senator Garner seconded. The committee voted 'aye' and the chair announced the bill passed out of committee.
The committee record shows the bill was presented and debated in committee and will proceed with the sponsor's promised follow‑up on funding/claims questions when taken to the floor.
