The proposed General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5449 seeks to regulate the use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems by public and law enforcement agencies in Connecticut, with an effective date of October 1, 2026. The bill specifies that these agencies may only use ALPR systems for designated purposes, such as monitoring agency vehicles and assisting in law enforcement activities related to active investigations or outstanding warrants. It mandates that any ALPR data collected must be deleted within seven days unless retained under a court order or for specific highway usage fee purposes. Additionally, the bill introduces restrictions to protect individual rights, prohibiting monitoring based on personal characteristics and limiting data sharing to certain law enforcement agencies, while ensuring that ALPR data is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

To enhance transparency and accountability, the bill requires public agencies operating ALPR systems to adopt and publicize a written usage and privacy policy by January 1, 2027, and prohibits contracts with private vendors for ALPR data management unless authorized. It also allows individuals to take legal action against agencies for violations, with the possibility of recovering court costs and attorney fees. The Police Officer Standards and Training Council is tasked with developing a model policy for law enforcement agencies by December 1, 2026, and the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection must adopt binding regulations by January 1, 2028. Furthermore, the bill mandates annual reporting on ALPR usage by law enforcement and public agencies, with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy compiling and analyzing these reports to provide recommendations for legislation.