Florida and Pennsylvania Move to Ban License Plate Readers

Governors in Florida and Pennsylvania are taking action to restrict the use of automated license plate reading (ALPR) technology, citing concerns over mass surveillance and data privacy.

In Florida, the Florida Department of Transportation revoked all permits for ALPRs on state highways and ordered their removal within 30 days. Governor Ron DeSantis described the deployment of these cameras as out of control and stated he does not want the state to become a surveillance state. Following this mandate, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced they would discontinue their use of Flock Safety cameras, despite acknowledging the technology's utility in solving serious crimes.

Similarly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced his support for bipartisan legislation to ban Flock Safety cameras and other ALPR systems across the state. Shapiro stated the technology is not in the public interest and confirmed that the Pennsylvania State Police and Department of Transportation do not permit these cameras on state property. This follows proposals from State Senators Dan Laughlin, Lisa Boscola, and Doug Mastriano to either ban the systems entirely or limit their use to specific criminal investigations to prevent the suspicionless collection of motorist data.

These developments mirror a broader national trend, with the Los Angeles Police Department and the city of Tempe, Arizona, also ending their relationships with Flock Safety.