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Ohio has enacted a new law that allows law enforcement agencies to charge fees for processing public video footage requests, including body cameras, dashboards, and jail surveillance videos, sparking debate over the balance between transparency and administrative costs.

What’s the deal: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently signed House Bill 315 into law, introducing a new provision that allows law enforcement agencies to charge for the processing of public video footage requests. The costs are set at $75 per hour for the time spent redacting and preparing the footage, with a maximum cap of $750 per request. These fees, while optional and at the agency’s discretion, are intended to offset the significant time and labor required to process such requests, particularly for smaller police departments with limited resources.

The new costs have drawn sharp criticism from journalists and transparency advocates who argue that the fees could deter public access to critical records. Critics, such as the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, warn that the charges might undermine accountability by making it expensive for citizens and the press to obtain footage documenting police conduct.

Concerns have also been raised over the lack of public discussion about the provision, as it was quietly added to a broader omnibus bill without hearings. While Governor DeWine has stressed his commitment to public records access, he has defended the fees as a necessary compromise to address the administrative burdens on law enforcement agencies.