CONGRESS TARGETS LICENSE PLATE CAMERAS WITH FUNDING THREAT

Lawmakers are pushing states to regulate Flock cameras and similar automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, which captures and databases vehicle information at scale. The proposal conditions federal highway funding on state compliance with new restrictions. The devices, increasingly deployed by law enforcement agencies, scan license plates and cross-reference them against databases to flag stolen vehicles or vehicles connected to crimes. Privacy advocates argue the technology enables mass surveillance without adequate oversight or transparency. The bipartisan approach leverages federal funding as enforcement leverage—a tactic previously used to enforce minimum drinking ages nationwide. States that fail to implement adequate ALPR restrictions would face funding cuts. Support spans both parties, reflecting growing concern about surveillance technology and privacy protections. The initiative signals Congress's intent to establish baseline standards for automated policing tools as their use expands across jurisdictions.