FLAFO Act (H.R.10606)
United StatesLow threat- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- Became Law
Stage 1 of 4: Introduced
Would bar federal agencies from using networked license plate reader systems like Flock without a warrant, and tie Justice Department grants to states adopting the same rule.
Latest update
Introduced and referred to the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees
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Contact LawmakersWhat it does
H.R.10606 would stop federal agencies from buying, leasing, operating or accessing networked automated license plate reader systems, asking others to pull data from them, or feeding data into them. An agency could search the data only with a warrant, except when the agency head finds it reasonably necessary to find a missing person, respond to an imminent threat to life, or investigate terrorism, espionage or a foreign agent. Officials who knowingly break the rule face up to 5 years in prison and civil fines up to $100,000, and camera operators who hand agencies access face the same penalties; people harmed could sue, and officials could not claim qualified immunity. States, cities and tribes would have to adopt substantially similar rules to stay eligible for Justice Department funding.
What’s at stake
Networked plate readers log where cars go and let officers search that history across jurisdictions without any suspicion. The bill targets the shared databases and AI vehicle search that turn a local camera into a national tracking system.
Our take
A warrant rule for Flock data is overdue, and the grant condition would reach the local police departments that run most of these cameras. The carve-outs are large, though. Customs and Border Protection stays exempt for border and immigration work, and exempt agencies may share what they collect with the rest of the government.
Timeline
Introduced and referred to the House Judiciary and Oversight CommitteesLatest
Sponsor
Greg Steube (R-FL)
Committee
Judiciary Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee
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