Don't Flock me': California, U.S. lawmakers debate license plate reader technology

California lawmakers are debating limits on automated license plate reader technology amid privacy concerns and a growing law-enforcement footprint. The cameras capture plate numbers in real time and cross-reference them with databases to locate stolen vehicles or suspects. At least 230 police and sheriff’s departments in California use them, and proponents say they’ve helped in investigations ranging from stolen cars to serious crimes. Privacy advocates and some lawmakers have pushed for restrictions since 2019. This year, Riverside Democratic Sen. Sabrina Cervantes is advancing a bill that would generally limit retention of license plate data to 30 days, constrain access and sharing, add training and tracking, and bar police from default-contract arrangements allowing federal or out-of-state searches—similar to a measure Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year.