US Lawmakers Propose New Limits on License Plate Readers

Legislators across multiple levels of government are moving to regulate automated license plate readers (ALPRs), specifically targeting the data practices of Flock Safety. In Michigan, State Senator Jim Runestad introduced Senate Bill 1131, which would require license plate data to be deleted after 14 days and mandate warrants for data access outside of specific criminal investigations. Similar House bills propose a 30-day retention limit and quarterly public reports.

In California, Senator Sabrina Cervantes introduced Senate Bill 1013 to limit data retention to 30 days and prohibit contracts with companies that grant default database access to out-of-state or federal agencies. This follows a previous veto by Governor Gavin Newsom, who expressed concern that strict purging could hinder cold case investigations. At the federal level, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie announced plans to sponsor legislation that would withhold federal funding from municipalities and police departments deploying these surveillance cameras.

Law enforcement groups, including the Michigan Chiefs of Police Association and various California police unions, argue that short retention windows and warrant requirements would render these tools ineffective for solving homicides and robberies. Conversely, privacy advocates like Oakland Privacy warn that ubiquitous surveillance could be misused to track individuals seeking abortions. Flock Safety has stated it supports common-sense regulation and maintains that federal agencies do not have direct access to its systems by default.