Washington Senate Passes Limits on License Plate Readers

Legislation to regulate automated license plate readers, amid concerns about federal immigration agents accessing the data, passed the Washington State Senate on Wednesday.

The measure cleared the chamber on a bipartisan 40-to-9 vote, with only Republicans opposed.

Automated license plate readers — often mounted on street poles or police vehicles — collect large amounts of data by photographing cars and using artificial intelligence to analyze license plates. Law enforcement agencies use the technology to track vehicles tied to criminal investigations, though most images are never reviewed.

An October University of Washington report found several local police departments allowed U.S. Border Patrol access to their databases — in some cases without formal permission.

Senate Bill 6002 would establish statewide rules for the technology, including limits on data retention and sharing. Under the bill, reader data must be deleted within 21 days unless needed as evidence, and it could not be used for civil immigration enforcement.

The legislation also restricts where the cameras can be deployed and requires agencies to log access for five years.

The bill now moves to the Washington House for consideration.

Read the full story here.

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