Schuyler County officials are warning residents that New York's new ban on smart glasses and other recording-enabled eyewear in court facilities will affect several county offices in Watkins Glen. The statewide rule takes effect Monday, July 20, and applies to all state, county, city, town and village courts.
The ban, announced by the New York State Unified Court System in a June 25 memo, covers eyewear with cameras, microphones or other recording technology, including prescription smart glasses. People entering court buildings with the devices will be required to surrender them to uniformed court officers for safekeeping.
Signs announcing the policy have been posted at courthouses statewide, including in the Sixth Judicial District, which includes Schuyler County.
Schuyler County Attorney Steven Getman said the rule will directly affect county offices in Watkins Glen because several county agencies share space with court facilities. That includes the Sheriff's Department lobby, which houses centralized arraignment court.
"While recording is already regulated in courts and county buildings, this ban on particular devices will require adjustments for anyone conducting business in these facilities," Getman said. "We share some buildings with the courts, so county employees and visitors to those buildings will need to comply. We wanted to get the word out so that anyone affected can plan their visits to the county offices."
County Administrator M. Shawn Rosno said local officials will coordinate with court officers and others to reduce disruption while carrying out the new policy.
"We support measures that protect the fairness and privacy of court processes," Rosno said. "In a small county like Schuyler, where facilities are integrated, we'll coordinate closely with court officers and others to implement this smoothly and ensure public access isn't unduly restricted."
County officials said the state ban is intended to protect the integrity of court proceedings. Recording is already regulated in courts and county government buildings.
Schuyler County buildings are also subject to a 2023 local law regulating photography, electronic recording and audio-visual recording to protect citizen privacy. The local law, approved by the county Legislature in January 2023 after consultation with the state court system, exempts open meetings, official duties and outdoor spaces.
The court system's rule enforces existing New York Civil Rights Law and court rules barring unauthorized recordings in court facilities. The Unified Court System's rules say taking photos, films, videos, audio recordings, broadcasts or telecasts in a courthouse, including courtrooms, offices and hallways, is forbidden at any time, whether or not court is in session.
County officials said Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have also barred smart glasses from court premises, while New York is the first state with a blanket ban on wearable cameras.
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