ALPR and Flock camera legislation
ALPR cameras are legal almost everywhere in the US. What legislatures are actually fighting over is the rules around them: how long data may be kept, who it may be shared with, and whether new installations should pause. This page tracks 17 stories on that legislation.
For where each state currently stands, see the state-by-state legal status overview.
17
Stories tracked
September 1, 2026
Most recent story
July 29, 2026
Earliest tracked
ALPR and Flock camera legislation: the coverage
Every item links to the outlet that reported it. FlockScanner does not write, verify or endorse these stories — see the content policy for how the feed works.
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New Flock restrictions leave questions about MPD’s other license plate reader systems
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service · September 1, 2026
New Flock restrictions leave questions about MPD’s other license plate reader systems — reported by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.
Read the summary → Original reporting at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service ↗
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PA state senator planning bill to ban on Flock, ALPR cameras
yourerie.com · August 27, 2026
PA state senator planning bill to ban on Flock, ALPR cameras — reported by yourerie.com.
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South Carolina lacks laws to regulate license plate reader cameras, investigation finds
FOX Carolina News · August 27, 2026
South Carolina lacks laws to regulate license plate reader cameras, investigation finds — reported by FOX Carolina News.
Read the summary → Original reporting at FOX Carolina News ↗
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Indiana lawmakers looking at license plate cameras amid growing privacy worries
Indiana Capital Chronicle · August 24, 2026
Indiana lawmakers looking at license plate cameras amid growing privacy worries — reported by Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Read the summary → Original reporting at Indiana Capital Chronicle ↗
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Backlash grows against automated license plate readers as cities move to restrict cameras
Spectrum News · August 20, 2026
Backlash grows against automated license plate readers as cities move to restrict cameras — reported by Spectrum News.
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Henrico fire investigators’ license plate camera data access revoked over violations of state law
WRIC ABC 8News · August 20, 2026
Henrico fire investigators’ license plate camera data access revoked over violations of state law — reported by WRIC ABC 8News.
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California Bill Seeks to Curb ALPR Surveillance, Citing Civil Liberties Risks
Davis Vanguard · August 18, 2026
California Bill Seeks to Curb ALPR Surveillance, Citing Civil Liberties Risks — reported by Davis Vanguard.
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RPOA Joins Other State Agencies In Opposing Bill To Restrict License Plate Reader Tech
The Riverside Record · August 18, 2026
RPOA Joins Other State Agencies In Opposing Bill To Restrict License Plate Reader Tech — reported by The Riverside Record.
Read the summary → Original reporting at The Riverside Record ↗
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Auburn lawmakers debate removing Flock cameras
WRVO · August 17, 2026
Auburn lawmakers debate removing Flock cameras — reported by WRVO.
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Flock backlash could reshape local ALPR use, but company says change is up to police, lawmakers
StateScoop · August 14, 2026
Flock backlash could reshape local ALPR use, but company says change is up to police, lawmakers — reported by StateScoop.
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Michigan Senate bill targets license plate reader cameras amid privacy concerns
WILX · August 11, 2026
Michigan Senate bill targets license plate reader cameras amid privacy concerns — reported by WILX.
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Caddo Parish lawmaker voices concerns over use of Flock Safety Cameras
louisianaradionetwork.com · August 7, 2026
Caddo Parish lawmaker voices concerns over use of Flock Safety Cameras — reported by louisianaradionetwork.com.
Read the summary → Original reporting at louisianaradionetwork.com ↗
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California bill would impose statewide rules on automated license plate readers amid privacy, public safety debate
cbs8.com · August 7, 2026
California bill would impose statewide rules on automated license plate readers amid privacy, public safety debate — reported by cbs8.com.
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State lawmakers urge Connecticut towns, cities to pause installations of Flock Safety cameras
WTNH.com · August 5, 2026
State lawmakers urge Connecticut towns, cities to pause installations of Flock Safety cameras — reported by WTNH.com.
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Two Connecticut lawmakers call for towns to pause all new Flock cameras as backlash grows
Greenwich Time · August 5, 2026
Two Connecticut lawmakers call for towns to pause all new Flock cameras as backlash grows — reported by Greenwich Time.
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‘Don’t Flock me’: California, U.S. lawmakers debate license plate reader technology
CalMatters · August 3, 2026
‘Don’t Flock me’: California, U.S. lawmakers debate license plate reader technology — reported by CalMatters.
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Tennessee leaders push for license plate reader regulations amid privacy concerns
WVLT · July 29, 2026
Tennessee leaders push for license plate reader regulations amid privacy concerns — reported by WVLT.
Common questions
Are there laws regulating Flock cameras?
Yes, and they vary sharply by state. ALPR use itself is legal in most of the US, but states differ on retention limits, permitted uses, sharing with federal or out-of-state agencies, and disclosure requirements. FlockScanner tracks 17 stories on proposed and enacted ALPR legislation, including California bills imposing statewide rules and Michigan and Connecticut efforts to restrict or pause deployments.
Can a state ban Flock cameras?
A state can regulate or restrict ALPR use — retention caps, sharing prohibitions, warrant requirements, or moratoriums on new installations — and several have moved in that direction. Outright statewide bans have not been the common approach; the more usual pattern is a bill constraining what agencies may do with the data. At the local level, individual cities have simply declined to renew contracts.
Other news topics
- Cities that cancelled Flock cameras (62)
- Flock camera privacy concerns (59)
- Opposition to Flock cameras (59)
- Flock camera data sharing and breaches (42)
- Flock camera audits and oversight (41)
- Flock camera misuse and abuse cases (15)
- Flock camera lawsuits (10)
- Flock camera vandalism reports (10)
Where the cameras are
FlockScanner also maps documented ALPR camera locations across the US — see the live map, camera locations by state, or cameras near you.