Police-backed GOP bill would shield license plate reader data from public review
A Republican bill that claims it will help prevent “government overreach” related to police use of controversial license plate reader technology would actually do the opposite, according to privacy advocates.
“This is among one of the weakest bills I’ve seen when it comes to regulating license plate readers,” Dave Maass, director of investigations at EFF, told the Arizona Mirror.
The proposal by Sen. Kevin Payne, R-Peoria, would codify certain standards into state law on how automated license plate readers, commonly referred to as ALPRs, are used. Senate Bill 1111 is backed by the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and the Arizona Police Association.
ALPRs, specifically those made by the company Flock Safety, have been a source of controversy, both for the wide-ranging network of cameras — the company claims to have more than 80,000 AI-powered cameras in over 5,000 communities across 49 U.S. states — and how law enforcement uses them. In one instance, police in Texas used the system to search for a woman who had received an abortion in a state where it was legal.
https://azmirror.com/briefs/police-backed-gop-bill-would-shield-license-plate-reader-data-from-public-review/