A bill that would allow citizens to make recordings of police officers in public has stalled in the state Senate, because the sponsor wants to give police the same power to record the public.
The measure, which earlier cleared the House, would change provisions in the state’s eavesdropping law which make it a felony to make a public audio recording without the subject’s consent. That law was recently ruled unconstitutional.
But Democratic Senator Mike Noland of Elgin says if the public can record the cops, then cops should be able to make surreptitious recordings in public places.
Opponents say that would give police unprecedented surveillance powers.
