New Boynton rule limits where public can record city staff, police

Fines, banishments from city properties and even arrests now await people who violate a new Boynton Beach ordinance limiting where people can record the activities of city employees and elected leaders.

City commissioners voted 3-2 on June 16 to enact the anti-recording law against people deemed disruptive by filming city staff members or police officers in public places such as municipal lobbies or reception areas.

Mayor Rebecca Shelton and commissioners Aimee Kelley and Mack McCray voted in favor, while Commissioners Angela Cruz and Thomas Turkin opposed. Both had expressed concerns about the law when the commission first considered it this month.

City Attorney Shawna Lamb has said the motivation for the law is to protect employees and safeguard their time against those who she says harass municipal workers and officials. More than 19 such incidents have happened in the past three months, she said during a June 2 City Commission meeting.

Emails that Lamb shared with The Palm Beach Post show people leaving profane voice messages on officials' phones and sending emails with vulgar messages.

Some of the people who ask for and receive city staff contact information barrage them with such insults, Lamb has said. A few have gone as far as death threats.

People can't be removed from Boynton properties because of viewpoint

The new anti-recording law allows the city manager to remove anyone either from the lobbies or reception areas of municipal offices if he or she deems that they have no legitimate business there.

Appropriate activities would include conducting business with city officials or employees, using public city services and attending a meeting or city-sponsored event.

If a staff member sees someone recording, and determines it is disruptive or exposes what they think is confidential information, they can alert the city manager.

The staffer, the city manager or a city manager representative can tell the person to stop recording. If the recorder refuses, either police or the manager can warn them they are trespassing. Police can arrest the recorder if they set foot at the site again.

If given a trespass warning, the alleged violator can appeal to the City Clerk, and the Boynton Beach special magistrate must hear the case within 40 days. The magistrate's decision can be appealed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.

The city may not restrict a person's access to its property based on their viewpoints, the proposed law says. "Mere observation, recording, or the expression of speech, without more, shall not constitute a material disruption," the new city ordinance says.

Recording in employees-only work areas are restricted or banned. The law classifies buildings the city owns or controls, offices and rooms as public forums, limited public forums and nonpublic forums.

State law and federal court cases allow the public to record public meetings such as City Commission meetings. Boynton Beach's new anti-recording law does not restrict such audio or video recording.

Signs will be installed in city spaces explaining recording limits, Assistant City Attorney Ian Gregorchik has said.

North Palm Beach passed a similar anti-recording law April 23, as did Palm Beach Gardens in 2023. Like Boynton Beach, North Palm Beach officials said their aim was to protect municipal employees.

Email news tips and article ideas to Chris Persaud at cpersaud@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: New Boynton rule limits where public can record city staff, police

Reporting by Chris Persaud, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post

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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 11:12 AM.