The bill amends Title 12 of the General Laws by adding a new chapter, CHAPTER 5.3, which establishes regulations for the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) by municipal and state law enforcement agencies. It defines an automated license plate reader as an electronic device that captures license plate data and compares it to law enforcement databases for investigative purposes. The bill mandates that municipal law enforcement agencies must obtain city or town council approval following a public hearing before seeking funding, acquiring, or using ALPRs. State law enforcement agencies are required to adopt policies and procedures for the operation of ALPR systems prior to engaging in similar activities.

The bill outlines the permissible uses of ALPRs, emphasizing that they should only be used for official law enforcement purposes, such as identifying stolen vehicles, vehicles associated with wanted or missing persons, and vehicles involved in ongoing investigations of violent felonies or domestic violence offenses. It prohibits the use of ALPRs for capturing images of vehicle occupants or pedestrians and requires that any data collected be purged within 30 days unless it pertains to an arrest, citation, or an active investigation.

Additionally, the bill mandates the maintenance of a public log of ALPR usage, which must be updated monthly and include information such as the number of vehicles scanned and any instances of erroneous identification. It establishes penalties for violations, including the potential for injunctions and the destruction of improperly collected data. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.