Cervantes’ Bill Safeguarding Privacy and Placing Guardrails on Automated License Plate Recognition Clears Assembly Appropriations

(SACRAMENTO) – Senate Bill 1013 by Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) was approved today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This critical and timely legislation would establish robust safeguards regarding the use of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) data. The bill would prohibit public agencies from retaining ALPR information for more than 30 days unless it is on a defined hot list; it would also mandate that operators and end users of ALPR systems strengthen their safeguards.

“Senate Bill 1013 is about one simple principle: protecting the privacy of all Californians, immigrants, and our most vulnerable communities while ensuring law enforcement tools are used responsibly. The unchecked use of automated license plate reader data raises significant concerns about civil liberties and the potential for further misuse of personal information, especially amid the federal administration’s mass surveillance efforts,” said Senator Cervantes. 

Despite a troubling 2020 California State Audit and increased media coverage, ALPR data is still being shared with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, other states, and private entities. Six years later, the violations have pervasively continued. People in California and across the nation are increasingly alarmed by the significant overuse and misuse of ALPR technology. 

No comprehensive public dataset exists on ALPR’s use effectiveness or on case outcomes, despite stakeholder and legislator requests for years. That means millions of law-abiding Californians are having their movements tracked, creating vast databases of sensitive personal information. 

Documented misuses of ALPR data have been seen in many California counties, including San Francisco, Marin, Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Sacramento, with data used to track immigrants, facilitate unlawful data sharing, and even stalk or harass private citizens. When law enforcement officers weaponize ALPR data to stalk ex-partners, harass journalists, or target immigrant communities, it erodes public trust and puts lives at risk.

You can read more about Senate Bill 1013 here. The bill will now be heard in the State Assembly.

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