Democratic Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Block Federal Funding for License-Plate Surveillance Cameras

On Friday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Ban Flock Act, a measure that would stop the federal government from buying, operating or funding automated license-plate readers (ALPRs). The bill would strip federal grant eligibility from agencies such as the Department of Justice, Department of Transportation, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Homeland Security for any state or local program that uses ALPRs or contracts with vendors like Flock Safety, while allowing locally financed systems to remain.

It creates a private right of action for individuals whose Fourth-Amendment rights are violated and mandates retraining, suspension or termination for federal employees who misuse the devices. An exemption is included for ALPRs used solely for toll collection. The initiative arrives amid a wave of bipartisan attempts to curb surveillance, including Republican bills that restrict federal purchases or impose data-handling rules, but the Ban Flock Act uniquely leverages federal funding to pressure local adoption.