An aerial view of an automatic license plate reader mounted on a pole in San Francisco. Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have restricted the operate of data from such camera systems. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Lawmakers in at least 16 states have introduced bills this year to regulate the operate of automatic license plate readers, which are responsible for collecting huge amounts of data on drivers across the country.
But only three states – Arkansa, Idaho AND Virginia — adopted rules during this session establishing or amending rules for the operate of high-tech camera systems by law enforcement agencies and the storage of license plate data. This month, Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have restricted the operate of such data.
The modern Arkansas law, signed in April by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, also allows nongovernmental entities, such as private landowners and commercial business owners, to operate license plate cameras as long as the data is deleted after 60 days. State agencies and parking authorities may retain license plate information for up to 150 days.
Measures in Massachusetts, New Jersey AND Pennsylvania are still under consideration. While Pennsylvania’s law outlines a permitting process for state agencies interested in installing license plate cameras, the measures introduced in Massachusetts and New Jersey aim to strengthen privacy protections by ensuring that only authorized employees have access to driver data.
Automated or automated license plate readers, also known as ALPR, are high-speed cameras and computer software systems that automatically capture license plate information as vehicles pass by. These readers, usually mounted on street poles or the roofs of police cars, also record the location, date and time of license plate capture.
ALPRs have been used by law enforcement for over 20 years. Camera systems are typically used as a tool in road accident and crime investigations.
Despite the technology’s popularity, privacy and technology groups have raised concerns about data storage and the appropriate operate of ALPR.
According to a. License plate readers collect and store huge amounts of data that are susceptible to data breaches and hacking report from the Brennan Center for Justice. According to the study, several law enforcement agencies and officials also used the technology to target immigrants and may have tracked people seeking reproductive health care. analysis from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights organization.
Legislators in at least 10 states – Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas AND Utah — introduced ALPR legislation this year, which has made no progress.
This month, Newsom vetoed a measure this would limit how and when police agencies operate and share data collected by ALPR. The bill was approved by the legislature following the reports the police misused the dataIt would also require agencies to submit to random state audits and delete certain collected data within 60 days.
In his veto messageNewsom said the measure “does not strike a delicate balance between protecting individual privacy and ensuring public safety,” giving examples of how the bill’s provisions could hinder investigations.
In New Jersey, Democratic lawmakers introduced it another bill in June, which would prohibit law enforcement agencies and individuals from sharing license plate information during interstate investigations of people seeking reproductive health services, such as abortion, which are legal in New Jersey.
Stateline reporter Madyson Fitzgerald can be reached at: mfitzgerald@stateline.org.
This story was originally produced by Statisticswhich is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network that includes the Ohio Capital Journal and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
