August 12, 2011

To the Honorable Members of the

Illinois House of Representatives,

97th General Assembly:

 

I hereby return House Bill 1948 with specific recommendations for change.

I commend the sponsors for their hard work on this bill.

This legislation requires governmental entities to disclose information related to surveillance cameras to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and requires the Authority to post the information on the internet. Though this bill is limited to outdoor cameras that are not used for traffic enforcement, it does not adequately account for public safety.   I am concerned that exposing the number of security cameras at our courthouses, police and sheriff’s facilities, and correctional facilities may present security risks. For example, requiring the Department of Corrections to disclose the numbers of cameras that are in use at correctional facilities, poses a significant threat to public safety.

Therefore, pursuant to Article IV, Section 9(e) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 1948, entitled “AN ACT concerning State government.”, with the following specific recommendations for change:

on page 1, line 10, by replacing “have access to” with “that are under the direct control of the agency”; and

on page 2, lines 18 and 19, by deleting “Department of Juvenile Justice School Districts,”; and

on page 3, by inserting after line 1 the following:

“For purposes of this Section, “agency” does not include the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice.”; and

on page 3, line 3, by replacing “outdoors” with “outdoors and permanently mounted or affixed to a building or other structure”; and

on page 3, line 6, after the period, by inserting the following:

“The term does not include any device located at a correctional facility, county or municipal jail, courthouse, police station, power plant, water treatment facility, or airport.”.

With these changes, House Bill 1948 will have my approval.  I respectfully request your concurrence. 

Sincerely,

 

 

PAT QUINN

Governor