Source: http://www.ncsl.org/research/telecommunications-and-information-technology/confidentiality-of-911-call-recordings.aspx/
Timestamp: 2014-11-29 00:11:59
Document Index: 634060117

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 11', '§ 50', '§2929', '§ 13', '§19', '§132', '§67', '§ 9102', '§ 3754', '§39', '§1', '§ 23', '§16', '§ 132', '§ 7059', '§ 1']

Confidentiality of 9-1-1 Call Recordings and Photographs of Emergency Scenes
Back Confidentiality of 911 Call Recordings
State Laws Relating to Confidentiality of 9-1-1 Call Recordings and Photographs of Emergency Scenes
Six states—Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wyoming—keep 911 call recordings confidential. Five other states—Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina and South Dakota—place some restrictions on the release of 911 calls or the information contained in them. Excerpts from and links to state laws follow.
In a related area, two states, Connecticut and New Jersey, prohibit emergency responders from taking or disseminating photographs or videos of an emergency scene without consent of the victim or patient. These laws were enacted after photographs of victims at emergency scenes were posted on social media sites, before family members knew of the accident or without their knowledge.
Confidentiality of 9-1-1 Call Recordings
Taking or Disseminating Photos of Videos of an Emergency Scene
Ala. Code § 11-98-12
Release of audio recording; public records; transcript
b) An audio recording may be released without a court order to the caller whose voice is on the 911 audio recording or, in the event that the caller is deceased or incapacitated, to the legal representative of the caller or the caller's estate, provided the person seeking the 911 audio recording submits a sworn affidavit to include sufficient information so that the emergency communications district director may verify the statements which attest to the following facts:
Ga. Code § 50-18-72.
When public disclosure is not required; disclosure of exempting legal authority
(E) An attorney for any of the persons identified in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of this paragraph; or (F) An attorney for a person who may pursue a civil action when, in the good faith belief of such attorney, the audio recording of the 9-1-1 telephone call is relevant
to the potential civil action;
25 M.R.S. §2929 (4)
A. To persons within the E-9-1-1 system to the extent necessary to implement and manage the E-9-1-1 system;
B. To a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency for the purpose of criminal investigations related to an E-9-1-1 call;
D. In accordance with an order issued on a finding of good cause by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Minn. Stat. § 13.82, Subd. 4.
Audio recording of 911 call.
Miss. Code §19-5-319.
Automatic number and location data base information; taped records of calls; confidentiality; nonidentifying records to be made available to public [Repealed effective July 1, 2010].
(1) Automatic number identification (ANI), automatic location identification (ALI) and geographic automatic location identification (GeoALI) information that consist of the name, address and telephone number of telephone or wireless subscribers shall be confidential, and the dissemination of the information contained in the 911 automatic number and location data base is prohibited except for the following purpose: the information will be provided to the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) on a call-by-call basis only for the purpose of handling emergency calls or for training, and any permanent record of the information shall be secured by the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and disposed of in a manner which will retain that security, except upon court order or subpoena from a court of competent jurisdiction or as otherwise provided by law.
NCGS §132-1.4(c)
65 P.S. §67.708 (PA Uncons. Stat. 2008 Act 3)
This paragraph shall not apply to information contained in a police blotter as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 9102 (relating to definitions) and utilized or maintained by the Pennsylvania State Police, local, campus, transit or port authority police department or other law enforcement agency or in a traffic report except as provided under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3754(b)(relating to accident prevention investigations). ...
R.I. Gen. Laws §39-21.1-17
Confidentiality of calls.
All telephone calls and telephone call transmissions received pursuant to this chapter and all tapes containing records of telephone calls shall remain confidential and used only for the purpose of handling emergency calls and for public safety purposes as may be needed for law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue or other emergency services. The calls shall not be released to any other parties without the written consent of the caller whose voice is recorded, or upon order of the court.
S.D. Cod. Laws §1-27-1.5
Certain records not open to inspection and copying.
...(5) Records developed or received by law enforcement agencies and other public bodies charged with duties of investigation or examination of persons, institutions, or businesses, if the records constitute a part of the examination, investigation, intelligence information, citizen complaints or inquiries, informant identification, or strategic or tactical information used in law enforcement training. However, this subdivision does not apply to records so developed or received relating to the presence of and amount or concentration of alcohol or drugs in any body fluid of any person, and this subdivision does not apply to a 911 recording or a transcript of a 911 recording, if the agency or a court determines that the public interest in disclosure outweighs the interest in nondisclosure. This law in no way abrogates or changes §§ 23-5-7 and 23-5-11 or testimonial privileges applying to the use of information from confidential informants...
Wyo. Stat. §16-4-203.
Right of inspection; grounds for denial; access of news media; order permitting or restricting disclosure; exceptions.
(a) The custodian of any public records shall allow any person the right of inspection of the records or any portion thereof except on one (1) or more of the following grounds or as provided in subsection (b) or (d) of this section: …
(x) Information obtained through a 911 emergency telephone system or through a verification system for motor vehicle insurance or bond as provided under W.S. 31-4-103(e) except to law enforcement personnel or public agencies for the purpose of conducting official business, to the person in interest, or pursuant to a court order...
*NOTE: Does not include statutes related only to the confidentiality of records held in 911 databases (e.g., customer name, address, etc.). See, e.g., 2009 CT 2009 S.B. 761, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1.5 and 30 V.S.A. § 7059.
Taking or Disseminating Photos or Videos of an Emergency Scene
Conn. Gen. Stats. sec. 53-341c. Unauthorized taking or transmission by first responders of images of crime or accident victims. Any peace officer or firefighter, as those terms are defined in section 53a-3, or any ambulance driver, emergency medical responder, emergency medical technician or paramedic, as those terms are defined in section 19a-175, who responds to a request to provide medical or other assistance to a person and, other than in the performance of his or her duties, knowingly (1) takes a photographic or digital image of such person without the consent of such person or a member of such person's immediate family, or (2) transmits, disseminates or otherwise makes available to a third person a photographic or digital image of such person without the consent of such person or a member of such person's immediate family, shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-210 (b) Nothing in the Freedom of Information Act shall be construed to require disclosure of: ...
(27) Any record created by a law enforcement agency or other federal, state, or municipal governmental agency consisting of a photograph, film, video or digital or other visual image depicting the victim of a homicide, to the extent that such record could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of the victim or the victim's surviving family members
...(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (16) of subsection (b) of this section, disclosure shall be required of:
...Sec. 3. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, a law enforcement agency shall not be required to disclose that portion of an audio tape or other recording where the individual speaking on the recording describes the condition of a victim of homicide, except for a recording that consists of an emergency 9-1-1 call or other call for assistance made by a member of the public to a law enforcement agency. This section shall apply to any request for such audio tape or other recording made on or before May 7, 2014.
N.J. Stat. sec. 2A:58D-2 Definitions relative to invasion of privacy relative to first responders; violations, penalties.
"Disclose" means to sell, manufacture, give, provide, lend, trade, mail, deliver, transfer, publish, distribute, circulate, disseminate, present, exhibit, advertise, or offer.
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, paid or volunteer member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of his employment, is dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance.
b.A first responder who is dispatched to or is otherwise present at the scene of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation, for the purpose of providing medical care or other assistance, shall not photograph, film, videotape, record, or otherwise reproduce in any manner, the image of a person being provided medical care or other assistance, except in accordance with applicable rules, regulations, or operating procedures of the agency employing the first responder.
c.A first responder shall not disclose any photograph, film, videotape, record, or other reproduction of the image of a person being provided medical care or other assistance at the scene of a motor vehicle accident or other emergency situation without the prior written consent of the person, or the person's next-of-kin if the person cannot provide consent, unless that disclosure was for a legitimate law enforcement, public safety, health care, or insurance purpose or pursuant to a court order.
d.A person who knowingly violates the provisions of subsection c. of this section shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.
e.In addition to any other right of action or recovery otherwise available under the laws of this State, a first responder who knowingly violates the provisions of subsection b. or c. of this section shall be liable to the person whose image was taken or disclosed, who may bring a civil action in the Superior Court.
NCSL Contact: Pam Greenberg, NCSL Denver Office, pam.greenberg@ncsl.org with questions or updates.
Go 20225