Nine bills target Flock Safety as bipartisan push for national license plate rules builds
Lawmakers from both parties are moving to replace a patchwork of local rules with federal standards for automated license plate readers, citing privacy and constitutional concerns.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Automated license plate readers have become a focal point for legislative activity in Washington, with at least nine proposals currently pending or expected that would restrict their use. The push for federal action follows a year-long investigation and a September Senate hearing that drew attention to the technology's expansive reach.
Rep. Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, stated that the issue has united unlikely allies across the political spectrum. He described the current environment as one where surveillance is pervasive, noting that he and Sen. Bernie Sanders share a view on the need for oversight. Steube filed his proposed solution immediately after confirming his support for national legislation.
Flock Safety, the primary provider of this technology, reports more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states. More than 6,000 law enforcement agencies are connected to its data-sharing network. This connectivity allows even small departments to query data from tens of thousands of devices nationwide, a feature proponents argue helps solve crimes while critics warn of potential for abuse.
Nine legislative efforts have been introduced or promised to address these concerns. The bills vary in their approach, ranging from warrant requirements to outright bans on federal use. H.R. 9800, introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett, would bar federal agencies from buying or operating such systems. H.R. 10221, introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, would cut federal funding for these systems. Rep. Steube’s H.R. 10606 would generally bar federal access without a warrant, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s H.R. 10691 would prohibit federal use unless Congress passes a specific authorization law limiting data retention to 48 hours.
Other proposals include the ALPR Accountability Act of 2026, introduced by Rep. Pat Harrigan, which requires warrants for queries and mandates record deletion within one day. Senator Josh Hawley has also promised legislation that would require audits and ban the incorporation of facial recognition technology. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, urged local communities to make the decision to deploy cameras their own, arguing that residents should determine if they want the surveillance.
A federal judge in Oklahoma ruled in October that the warrantless use of these cameras by a police officer violated the Fourth Amendment. The court described the technology as a large-scale, dragnet-type surveillance system. The ruling highlighted the constitutional tension between public safety needs and privacy rights, a debate that has intensified as lawmakers seek to establish a national regulatory framework.
Flock Safety maintains that its tools are essential for public safety, helping officers solve serious crimes and locate missing people. A company spokesperson stated that Flock supports thoughtful, bipartisan legislation that establishes strong privacy and accountability guardrails. The company argues that it is not its role to police law enforcement, but rather that boundaries should be set by local elected officials.
