California Assembly Leader Blocks License Plate Privacy Bill

California Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguilar-Curry blocked Senate Bill 1013 on the final day of the legislative session, preventing a floor vote on legislation designed to regulate automated license plate readers (ALPR). The bill would have restricted the use of license plate data to locating missing persons or criminal suspects, mandated privacy training for police, and required random audits by the attorney general's office to prevent misuse.

This failure marks the fifth consecutive year California has failed to enact such regulations, following a veto of a similar bill by Governor Gavin Newsom last year. The legislation was authored by State Senator Sabrina Cervantes, who advocated for strengthened privacy protections against license plate tracking. Supporters of the bill pointed to police misconduct, including the stalking of private citizens and the illegal sharing of data with federal immigration enforcers.

The California State Sheriff’s Association and other law enforcement agencies opposed the bill, arguing that regulations would hinder their ability to solve crimes. The legislative deadlock occurs as over 200 U.S. cities ended contracts with ALPR providers like Flock Safety in August 2026.