Overview
- Rep. Nolan West introduced a bill mandating closed-circuit cameras in infant and toddler rooms at child care centers that receive state funding, with footage kept for 28 days and family in‑home providers excluded.
- The proposal follows last session’s narrower law, effective in July, that requires cameras only when a facility has known maltreatment violations.
- Supporters, including Harvey’s parents, argue cameras could have exposed abuse earlier and prevented the 11-month-old’s death at a Savage day care.
- Opponents cite privacy and data-security risks and back a competing plan to create a year-long task force with cybersecurity and child care experts.
- Separately, former employee Theah Russell was charged in January, including with second-degree murder, and authorities say she admitted to intentionally suffocating Harvey and another infant who survived.