City/Bloomberg Back Down (for now) on Photog LAW

City Backs Down On Proposed Photography Laws Following Protests

August 03, 2007

The city has backed down on its proposed rules regarding public photography, following a public outcry led by independent filmmakers.

The Mayor's Office of Film, Television, Theater and Broadcasting said Friday that it will re-evaluate its set of proposed rules that would have required permits and as much as a million dollars in insurance for small, independent productions.

The announcement comes at the end of a 60-day public comment period on the policies.

The organization Picture New York gathered a petition with 31,000 signatures opposing the rules. Another group called Olde English created a rap video to express their dissent.

The group’s members say the feedback they received was overwhelming.

"We're very proud to have helped get the word out,” said David Segal of Olde English. “And we are thankful to everyone at the New York Civil Liberties Union for everything they have done, and everyone who sent comments and wrote e-mails; that was great."

"The new rules that the Mayor's Office of Film, TV, Theater, and Broadcasting were an improvement from the ‘make them up as you go along’ state of affairs that it replaces, and it did exempt many photographers and filmmakers, but they still violated the first amendment rights to take pictures in public places,” said Donna Lieberman of the NYCLU.

The Mayor's Office of Film says it will take the public's comments into account in the next draft of the rules.

That just made my day :D

good news. the time they spent coming up with that would have been better spent coming up with a way to avoid charging to drive in the city.

It seems like the NY government is really pushing to get money. I think this is total BS but thank god it was put on hold.