In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation to establish statewide standards for the deployment and oversight of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems.

ALPR technology plays a critical role in locating missing persons, recovering stolen vehicles, identifying dangerous offenders, combatting human trafficking, and securing critical infrastructure. However, while ALPR systems provide these critical values, they also collect highly sensitive information capable of revealing a person’s movements, associations, and activities. For this reason, we must ensure that ALPR use is lawful, transparent, secure, and tightly controlled to prevent misuse, specifically prohibiting third-party and foreign adversary access to protect the privacy and civil liberties of Pennsylvanians.

To that end, our legislation will establish strong privacy and accountability standards by placing clear limitations on ALPR  data collection, access, retention, sharing, and use. Our legislation will also create further safeguards to protect the information of Pennsylvanians, which will include robust cybersecurity requirements.

Our legislation will create a clear, statewide framework governing ALPR deployment and use, to prevent abusive surveillance, protect civil liberties, and address pressing cybersecurity and national security threats while preserving legitimate and necessary law enforcement use of ALPR systems. We will ensure that law enforcement can continue to use ALPR technology to protect public safety while preventing misuse and safeguarding constitutional rights and eliminating serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

We hope that you will co-sponsor this important legislation to protect the privacy of Pennsylvanians.