Sanders, AOC & Merkley Introduce Most Comprehensive Federal Ban on ALPR Cameras
Washington, D.C. — On Friday, a trio of lawmakers introduced a comprehensive bill to ban Flock and other automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) on the federal level. The Ban Flock Act—introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)—bans federal agencies from using ALPRs, prohibits federal funds from being spent on ALPRs and blocks certain federal funds for state and local governments that utilize these cameras. This bill is particularly needed now because the FBI is acquiring nationwide access to a network of ALPRs that can offer “near real time” information from cameras across the nation. Demand Progress is organizing the bipartisan civil society coalition to protect Americans from this egregious spying and is working with congressional offices across the aisle to advance a federal ban on Flock and other ALPRs. Demand Progress is also leading a campaign against these cameras.
The following is a statement from Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Hajar Hammado:
“The Ban Flock Act is the gold standard for any legislation working to fight invasive Flock cameras on the federal level. Flock and other ALPR companies have wormed their way into communities across the nation and drastic, all-encompassing action is needed to root them out. The Ban Flock Act not only bans federal use of ALPRs and imposes serious consequences for localities that use these cameras, it also bans the data they collect—which can easily be used by AI to target virtually any individual person walking down the street. We thank Sens. Sanders and Merkley and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, for being true leaders in the fight to protect the privacy of all Americans.”