Enacts "Imette's Law"; mandates that every owner of an cabaret establishment, but which is not a restaurant, shall install security cameras at every entrance and exit of such establishment.

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S972-2011 Actions

• Mar 12, 2012: COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
• Mar 12, 2012: NOTICE OF COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION - REQUESTED
• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS

S972-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S972                REVISED 01/10/2011

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the alcoholic beverage control
law, in relation to mandating the installation of security
cameras in cabaret establishments

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To mandate that every establishment licensed to sell alcoholic
beverages (except for restaurants), in a city, install security
cameras at the entrances and exits of such establishments.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new Section 64-e.
This section would require the installation of security cameras in
alcoholic establishments that are not restaurants, and would require
that the owner of such establishment submit proof to the authority
that security cameras have been properly installed. It also states
that the authority shall be authorized and directed to inspect such
licensed premises for compliance and that they shall suspend an
owner's license to serve alcohol in such establishment until proof of
compliance has been properly submitted to such authority.

JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation referred to as "Imette's Law," was inspired by the
murder of Imette st. Guillen, a graduate student who was killed after
leaving a bar in Manhattan in 2006. The prime suspect appears to be
one of the bouncers at the bar where St. Guillen was last seen. The
first bar Imette visited had security cameras in place. If there had
been security cameras at the last bar Imette was seen, this crime
would likely have been solved by now, or may never have happened.
This legislation would aid police in solving cases and deter similar
crimes from taking place. It would also reduce late night street
crimes.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2005/06:   A.10535 - Referred to Economic
2007/2008: A.6373 - Reported Referred to Codes
2009-10:   S.5371/A.2629 (Ortiz) - Referred to
Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.

S972-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                     972

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 5, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sens.  HASSELL-THOMPSON,  DIAZ -- read twice and ordered
    printed, and  when  printed  to  be  committed  to  the  Committee  on
    Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business

  AN  ACT  to  amend  the  alcoholic  beverage control law, in relation to
    mandating the installation of security cameras in  cabaret  establish-
    ments

    THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
  "Imette's Law".
    S  2.    The alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new
  section 64-e to read as follows:

    S 64-E. INSTALLATION OF SECURITY CAMERAS IN CABARET ESTABLISHMENTS. 1.
  NO ONE SHALL OPERATE A CABARET LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION  UNLESS
  ALL  ENTRANCES AND EXITS USED BY PATRONS ARE EQUIPPED WITH DIGITAL VIDEO
  SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  NOT
  APPLY  TO  AN  ESTABLISHMENT THAT OPERATES PRIMARILY AS A RESTAURANT, AS
  DEFINED BY SECTION SIXTY-FOUR-C OF THIS ARTICLE,  DURING  ALL  HOURS  OF
  OPERATION.
    2.  DIGITAL VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING
  PROVISIONS AND WITH THE RULES OF THE AUTHORITY:

    (A) THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHALL  BE  DIGITAL  IN  NATURE  AND
  SHALL  BE OF SUFFICIENT NUMBER, TYPE, PLACEMENT AND LOCATION TO VIEW AND
  RECORD ALL ACTIVITY IN FRONT OF AND WITHIN FIFTEEN FEET OF  EITHER  SIDE
  OF EACH ENTRANCE OR EXIT;
    (B)  THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHALL BE SUFFICIENTLY LIGHT SENSI-
  TIVE AND PROVIDE SUFFICIENT IMAGE RESOLUTION  (SUPPORTED  BY  ADDITIONAL
  LIGHTING  IF NECESSARY) TO PRODUCE EASILY DISCERNIBLE IMAGES RECORDED AT
  ALL TIMES;

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD03649-01-1

 S. 972                              2

    (C) THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHALL RECORD AT A MINIMUM SPEED  OF
  FIFTEEN FRAMES PER SECOND;
    (D)  THE  VIDEO  SURVEILLANCE  CAMERA IMAGES SHALL BE CAPABLE OF BEING
  VIEWED THROUGH USE OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING BUT NOT  LIMITED
  TO A COMPUTER SCREEN OR CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION MONITOR;
    (E)  THE  VIDEO  SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEM SHALL BE CAPABLE OF TRANS-
  FERRING THE RECORDED IMAGES TO A PORTABLE FORM OF MEDIA,  INCLUDING  BUT
  NOT LIMITED TO COMPACT DISC OR DIGITAL VIDEO DISC;
    (F) THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHALL NOT HAVE AN AUDIO CAPABILITY;
    (G) THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN GOOD WORKING
  CONDITION;
    (H)  EXCEPT  AS  OTHERWISE  PROVIDED  BY  RULE, THE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
  CAMERAS SHALL BE IN OPERATION  AND  RECORDING  CONTINUOUSLY  DURING  ALL
  HOURS  OF  OPERATION  OF THE CABARET AND FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE CABARET
  CLOSES;
    (I) THE RECORDINGS MADE BY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE  CAMERAS  INSTALLED  AND
  MAINTAINED  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE INDEXED BY DATES AND TIMES
  AND PRESERVED FOR A MINIMUM OF THIRTY DAYS SO  THAT  THEY  MAY  BE  MADE
  AVAILABLE  TO  THE AUTHORITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
  AGENCIES ACTING IN FURTHERANCE OF A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OR A CIVIL OR
  ADMINISTRATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE;
    (J) ALL RECORDINGS MADE BY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE  CAMERAS  INSTALLED  AND
  MAINTAINED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION  WHILE  IN THE POSSESSION OF THE
  CABARET SHALL BE STORED IN A LOCKED RECEPTACLE LOCATED IN  A  CONTROLLED
  ACCESS  AREA,  TO  WHICH ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL HAVE ACCESS, OR SHALL
  OTHERWISE BE SECURED SO THAT ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL MAY  ACCESS  SUCH
  VIDEO   RECORDINGS.  ALL  PERSONNEL  AUTHORIZED  TO  ACCESS  SUCH  VIDEO
  RECORDINGS MUST CERTIFY IN WRITING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED  ON  THE
  APPROPRIATE  USE  AND  RETENTION  OF  RECORDINGS  AS  SET  FORTH IN THIS
  SECTION, AND ON THE LEGAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH VIDEO SURVEILLANCE  AND
  THE USE AND RETENTION OF RECORDINGS. THE CABARET SHALL KEEP A LOG OF ALL
  INSTANCES  OF  REQUESTS  FOR  ACCESS  TO,  AND DISSEMINATION AND USE OF,
  RECORDED MATERIALS MADE BY  VIDEO  SURVEILLANCE  CAMERAS  INSTALLED  AND
  MAINTAINED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION. COPIES OF THE CERTIFICATIONS BY
  AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES AND OF THE ACCESS LOG  SHALL  BE  PROVIDED  TO  THE
  AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS RULES;
    (K)  THE USE OR DISSEMINATION OF RECORDINGS MADE BY VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
  CAMERAS INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION  IN  VIOLATION
  OF  THE  PENAL LAW OR SECTION FIFTY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW SHALL RESULT
  IN SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF A LICENSE AND A FINE  OF  NOT  LESS  THAN
  FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS; AND
    (L) THE CABARET SHALL POST SIGNAGE AT APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS, AS DETER-
  MINED BY RULE OF THE AUTHORITY, TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC OF ITS USE OF VIDEO
  SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT AND THE LOCATIONS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT
  SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAS SUFFICIENT WARNING THAT SURVEILLANCE IS IN OPERA-
  TION.
    3. EACH PERSON SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL SUBMIT,
  OR  ENSURE  THE  SUBMISSION  OF, A REPORT TO THE AUTHORITY WITHIN THIRTY
  DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, OR, IN THE CASE OF A  NEW
  CABARET WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH CABARET. SUCH
  REPORT  SHALL  CERTIFY  THAT  THE  CABARET  IS  IN  COMPLIANCE WITH THIS
  SECTION. REPORTS FILED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL  BE  SUBMITTED
  IN  SUCH  FORM  AND  MANNER  AND CONTAINING SUCH INFORMATION AS SHALL BE
  PROVIDED BY RULE OF THE AUTHORITY.

 S. 972                              3

    4. THE AUTHORITY SHALL CONDUCT PERIODIC INSPECTIONS  OF  LICENSEES  TO
  ENSURE  COMPLIANCE WITH THE USE AND RETENTION POLICIES SET FORTH IN THIS
  SECTION.
    S 3. Rules and regulations. The chairman of the state liquor authority
  is  hereby  authorized  and directed to promulgate rules and regulations
  necessary for the implementation of this act on or before the  effective
  date of this act.
    S  4.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
  have become a law.