Prohibition on Disclosing Booking Photographs
Plain English Summary
This bill prohibits law enforcement agencies from sharing booking photographs with websites that charge fees to remove them, and requires such websites to delete booking photos within seven business days if the person was not convicted. Websites that charge fees to remove photos or fail to delete them can face civil liability including $100 per day in damages.
Arguments in Favor
Supporters argue this protects people's reputation and livelihood when they are arrested but not convicted, as booking photos on pay-to-remove websites can harm employment and housing prospects indefinitely. The bill targets 'mugshot' websites that profit by charging individuals money to take down their photos, which supporters see as exploitative. Allowing removal after non-conviction aligns with the principle that arrests should not permanently damage someone cleared of charges.
Arguments Against
Opponents may contend this limits public access to information about arrests and bookings, which traditionally has been public record. Some worry the law could restrict legitimate news reporting or public interest journalism if overly broadly applied. Others may question whether the $100-per-day penalty is proportionate and could expose websites to excessive liability, potentially affecting their business viability or operation.
AI-generated analysis based on bill text. Always verify with official sources at ncleg.gov. This is not legal or political advice.
Sponsors
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 38
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 92
Primary Sponsor
Representative · District 54
Cosponsors (17)
Representative · District 114
Representative · District 115
Representative · District 48
Representative · District 41
Representative · District 102
Representative · District 8
Representative · District 50
Representative · District 45
Representative · District 61
Representative · District 29
Representative · District 88
Representative · District 11
Representative · District 31
Representative · District 33
Representative · District 116
Representative · District 107
Representative · District 32