William Petroski

bpetrosk@dmreg.com

A bill that prohibits the use of video cameras in bathrooms and locker rooms in state and local government buildings was approved by the Iowa Senate Tuesday.

Senate File 499 passed on a 49-0 vote. The measure now heads to the Iowa House, where it is expected to be considered prior to this session's adjournment, said Sen. Mark Lofgren, R-Muscatine, who managed the Senate bill.

The measure prohibits the use of "monitoring devices," meaning a digital video and audio streaming or recording device, in a toilet, bath or shower facility, locker room, diaper changing area, and certain other spaces. The bill applies to public libraries, public schools and other government offices open to the public. However, there would be an exception for hospitals where a monitoring device is necessary to protect the health or safety of a patient.

Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, urged support for the bill, saying, "This bill will ensure that the public’s expectation of privacy will be assured."

The legislation was introduced after the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa asked the Iowa City Public Library to remove security cameras from its bathrooms over privacy concerns raised by a patron. The request was made on behalf of University of Iowa sophomore Kellsie Pepponi, who had used one of the bathrooms last year and afterward noticed a camera on the bathroom ceiling.

Pepponi saw a sign outside the bathroom noting cameras were in use but, in seeing cameras outside the bathroom, believed the sign was referencing those cameras. She did not notice the camera inside the bathroom on her way in because they are near the entrance, but noticed it while standing inside one of the stalls, according to ACLU-Iowa. The video cameras are still in place.

Library Director Susan Craig told the Iowa City Press-Citizen in January that the cameras record only the common areas and do not collect video from inside the stalls. She said she understood peoples' concerns, but she described the cameras as necessary to protect public safety and to protect against theft and vandalism.

The library opened its new building in 2004, Craig said, and the cameras have been functioning for more than 10 years. Signs stating "security cameras are in use" are posted outside of the bathrooms and inside some of the bathrooms.