Bipartisan Bill Would Tie Highway Funding to Limits on Flock Camera Use

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would restrict the use of automated license plate reader cameras made by Flock Safety, according to a report published by Ars Technica.

The bill would limit the cameras to a handful of specified public safety uses, the report said. To enforce compliance, the legislation would threaten to withhold federal highway funding from jurisdictions that do not comply with the proposed restrictions, according to Ars Technica.

Flock Safety's camera systems, which are used by law enforcement agencies and other entities across the United States, capture license plate data that can be used to track vehicle movements. The technology has drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates and some lawmakers concerned about the scope of data collection and how it may be used beyond its stated purposes.

Details about the specific sponsors of the bill, the exact list of permitted public safety uses, and the timeline for potential implementation were not fully specified in the available reporting. Ars Technica indicated the measure reflects a bipartisan effort to place guardrails on the deployment of the camera technology.

The proposal comes amid broader debates in Congress and state legislatures over the use of surveillance technology by law enforcement and the balance between public safety objectives and civil liberties protections. Further details on the bill's provisions and legislative progress were not immediately available.