To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the use of cameras in medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Bill: H.R.1510 | Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. (R-WV)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report on its policies and procedures relating to the usage and maintenance of video cameras for patient safety and law enforcement at VA medical facilities.

[117th Congress Public Law 64]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 135 STAT. 1486]]

Public Law 117-64
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a 
report on the use of cameras in medical facilities of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs. <<NOTE: Nov. 23, 2021 -  [H.R. 1510]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPORT ON USE OF CAMERAS IN MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE 
                              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
collaboration with the Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health 
Administration, and the Office of Construction and Facilities Management 
of the Department, shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs 
of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report analyzing the 
policies, use, and maintenance of cameras deployed by the Department for 
patient safety and law enforcement at medical facilities of the 
Department.
    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) <<NOTE: Review. Analysis.>>  A comprehensive review of 
        the policies and procedures of the Department regarding the use 
        and maintenance of cameras with respect to the following:
                    (A) Patient safety, including--
                          (i) an analysis of how cameras are used to 
                      monitor staff and patients;
                          (ii) an analysis of the specific units within 
                      medical facilities in which the use of cameras is 
                      prioritized to protect patient safety;
                          (iii) an analysis of the procedures regarding 
                      the positioning of cameras;
                          (iv) an analysis of the extent to which 
                      cameras monitor locations where drugs are stored 
                      to ensure that drugs are accounted for, and an 
                      assessment of whether this is a widely used 
                      practice; and
                          (v) an analysis of the actions taken to 
                      preserve and protect patient privacy.
                    (B) Law enforcement of medical facilities of the 
                Department, including--
                          (i) how exterior cameras are used;
                          (ii) how interior cameras are used; and
                          (iii) an analysis of locations, interior and 
                      exterior, in which camera use is prioritized.
            (2) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  Recommendations of the 
        Secretary to improve patient safety and law enforcement, 
        including--

[[Page 135 STAT. 1487]]

                    (A) the placement and maintenance of cameras;
                    (B) <<NOTE: Data.>>  the storage of data from such 
                cameras;
                    (C) the authority of supervisors at medical 
                facilities of the Department to review recordings from 
                cameras;
                    (D) the number of staff required to monitor live 
                footage from cameras at each medical facility of the 
                Department;
                    (E) the funding necessary to address shortfalls with 
                respect to cameras and the specific uses for such 
                funding;
                    (F) any additional actions required to preserve and 
                protect patient privacy; and
                    (G) such other matters the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.

    (c) Camera Defined.--In this section, the term ``camera'' means any 
video camera used in a medical facility of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs for purposes of patient safety or law enforcement, but does not 
include cameras used solely by the Inspector General of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs to assist in criminal investigations conducted by 
the Inspector General.

    Approved November 23, 2021.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1510:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 167 (2021):
            May 17, considered in House.
            May 18, prior proceedings vacated; considered and passed 
                House.
            Nov. 2, considered and passed Senate.

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