LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Jim Runestad is preparing to introduce legislation to limit the use and scope of data obtained by Flock and other traffic cameras.
Senate Bill 1131 seeks to put meaningful restrictions on the use and management of data collected by these cameras and help ensure that the privacy of Michigan residents is protected.
“Passively collecting information 24/7 as people go about their daily lives is a drastic overreach and goes well beyond public safety needs,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “This legislation acknowledges that certain emergency situations can be greatly assisted by this technology, but sensible safeguards need to be put in place.”
The bill would require a warrant before the government could access automatic license plate reader (ALPR) databases unless an active criminal investigation, missing person case or stolen vehicle investigation is taking place. The legislation would also require license plate data to be automatically deleted after 14 days if it is not being used for those purposes.
“My legislation will protect public data and public safety,” Runestad said. “We want to strike a balance between dystopian overreach and keeping our communities safer by providing law enforcement with additional tools to catch criminals.”
Automatic license plate readers are traditionally used to help law enforcement track down stolen vehicles, locate missing people or find wanted individuals. What started as a tool law enforcement can use to uphold public safety has quickly spiraled into the beginnings of a potential surveillance state. According to the ACLU, between 80,000 and 100,000 Flock cameras installed across the U.S. perform more than 20 billion scans each month, racking up massive amounts of data.
“We don’t want people to feel like Big Brother is always watching,” Runestad said. “Technology can benefit the social good without threatening freedom. That’s why sensible guardrails need to be put in place to protect people’s privacy.”
SB 1131 is the Senate version of House Bills 5492 and 5493 and will be introduced during the Senate’s next scheduled session day.
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Editor’s note: A copy of Runestad’s SB 1131 is attached to this email for your review.
