HB0509 • 2026

Code Inspector Body Cameras

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee ; Partington ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Brannan ; Kendall ; López, J.
Last action: 2026-03-10
Official status: House - Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 504
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rules for Code Inspector Body Cameras

This law requires local governments that allow code inspectors to wear body cameras to create specific policies and training rules.

What This Bill Does

Requires agencies allowing body cameras to write policies on how to use, maintain, and store the devices and their data.
Mandates training for staff who wear, use, maintain, or review recordings from these cameras.
Orders that recorded audio and video be kept following public records laws.
Requires regular checks to make sure inspectors follow the written camera rules.
States that wiretapping laws do not apply to body camera recordings made by code inspectors.

Who It Names or Affects

Governmental entities like cities or counties
Code inspectors who wear body cameras
Staff members who manage, store, or review camera data

Terms To Know

Body camera: A portable electronic device worn by a code inspector that records audio and video of their work.
Code inspector: An official who checks if buildings or properties follow local rules, as defined in state law section 162.04(2).

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies to agencies that choose to let inspectors wear cameras.
It does not force every agency to buy or use body cameras.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

197179

Committee amendment H 509 Filed • Partington

Adopted without Objection 1/14/2026

Plain English: This amendment requires training for anyone who handles body camera footage to make sure they know the rules.

All staff members must get trained on how to use, fix, save, or share video and audio from body cameras.

Bill History

2026-03-10 House
• Laid on Table, refer to CS/SB 504
2026-02-10 House
• Favorable by State Affairs Committee • Reported out of State Affairs Committee • Bill released to House Calendar • Added to Second Reading Calendar
2026-02-06 House
• Added to State Affairs Committee agenda
2026-01-16 House
• Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in State Affairs Committee
2026-01-15 House
• 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2026-01-14 House
• Favorable with CS by Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Reported out of Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a) • CS Filed
2026-01-13 House
• 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
2026-01-12 House
• Added to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee agenda
2025-12-03 House
• Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee • Referred to State Affairs Committee • Now in Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee
2025-11-21 House
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Code Inspector Body Cameras; Requires governmental entity that permits its code inspectors to wear body cameras to establish certain policies & procedures; requires such governmental entity to ensure that certain training occurs, to retain certain data in accordance with public records laws, & to perform periodic review of actual body camera practices; provides that certain provisions relating to interception of wire, electronic, & oral communications do not apply to body camera recordings made by code inspectors.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

CS/HB 509 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb509-01-c1
Page 1 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to code inspector body cameras; 2
creating s. 162.41, F.S.; defining terms; requiring a 3
governmental entity that permits its code inspectors 4
to wear body cameras to establish certain policies and 5
procedures; requiring such governmental entity to 6
ensure that certain training occurs, to retain certain 7
data in accordance with public records laws, and to 8
perform a periodic review of actual body camera 9
practices; providing that certain provisions relating 10
to the interception of wire, electronic, and oral 11
communications do not apply to body camera recordings 12
made by code inspectors; providing an effective date. 13
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 15
16
Section 1. Section 162.41, Florida Statutes, is created to 17
read: 18
162.41 Code inspector body cameras; policies and 19
procedures.— 20
(1) As used in this section, the term: 21
(a) "Body camera" means a portable electronic recording 22
device worn on a code inspector's person which records audio and 23
video data of the code inspector's encounters and activities. 24
(b) "Code inspector" has the same meaning as in s. 25

CS/HB 509 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb509-01-c1
Page 2 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

162.04(2). 26
(2) A governmental entity that permits its code inspectors 27
to wear body cameras shall establish policies and procedures 28
addressing the proper use, maintenance, and storage of body 29
cameras and the data recorded by body cameras. The policies and 30
procedures must include all of the following: 31
(a) General guidelines for the proper use, maintenance, 32
and storage of body cameras. 33
(b) Any limitation on which code inspectors are permitted 34
to wear body cameras. 35
(c) Any limitation on code enforcement-related encounters 36
and activities in which code inspectors are permitted to wear 37
body cameras. A code inspector must be permitted to use a body 38
camera to record any encounter with a member of the public which 39
occurs while the inspector is performing his or her duties. 40
(d) General guidelines for the proper storage, retention, 41
and release of audio and video data recorded by body cameras. 42
(3) A governmental entity that permits its code inspectors 43
to wear body cameras shall do all of the following: 44
(a) Ensure that all personnel who wear, use, maintain, or 45
store body cameras are trained in the governmental entity's body 46
camera policies and procedures. 47
(b) Ensure that all personnel who use, maintain, store, or 48
release audio or video data recorded by body cameras are trained 49
in the governmental entity's policies and procedures. 50

CS/HB 509 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb509-01-c1
Page 3 of 3
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(c) Retain audio and video data recorded by body cameras 51
in accordance with the requirements of s. 119.021, except as 52
otherwise provided by law. 53
(d) Perform a periodic review of actual body camera 54
practices to ensure conformity with the governmental entity's 55
body camera policies and procedures. 56
(4) Chapter 934 does not apply to body camera recordings 57
made by code inspectors who elect to use body cameras. 58
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 59