The Automatic License Plate Reader Act establishes regulations for the use of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems by law enforcement agencies in New Mexico. The Act defines key terms such as "alert," "automatic license plate reader system," and "license plate data," and permits law enforcement to utilize license plate data for investigatory purposes by comparing it with various state and national databases. The Act also outlines specific conditions under which license plate data can be retained, mandating that data linked to alerts must be kept for one year, while data without alerts must be deleted after fourteen days unless it is deemed material to an ongoing investigation or requested for preservation.

Additionally, the Act emphasizes the importance of data security and privacy, prohibiting the sharing or selling of license plate data to third parties and requiring law enforcement agencies to adopt policies that protect the collected data. Agencies are also tasked with reporting their usage of ALPR systems annually to the legislature, detailing the number of scans, arrests, and any privacy-related policy changes. Importantly, the Act prohibits the use of ALPR systems to target individuals based on protected characteristics, ensuring that the technology is used fairly and responsibly.