Maryland Governor Signs Bill to Equip Officers with Body-worn Cameras

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed a body camera bill Tuesday that supporters say would pave the way for equipping cops across the state with video equipment, reports the Baltimore Sun .

The law, which takes effect immediately, creates a commission charged with creating statewide guidelines on how police departments should use body cameras and recommending ways to pay for the programs by the end of this year.

The body camera law was among 350 bills the governor signed on Tuesday during a mammoth public session, enacting laws that govern everything from tax policy to maximum speed limits on state roads.

Baltimore residents' relationships with police — and whether body cameras would alleviate public concerns over police conduct — have been thrust into the national spotlight in recent weeks after the death of Freddie Gray, who died from a spinal cord injury received while in police custody.

Hogan also signed laws that would require police departments to report to the state statistics on police-involved deaths, increase the number of police cases that would be reviewed by the Baltimore City Civilian Review Board, and allow people convicted of certain non-violent misdemeanors to shield their criminal records from public view.