Lawmakers Introduce Federal Bills to Restrict Flock Surveillance Cameras

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have introduced federal legislation seeking to restrict government access to automated license plate recognition technology, according to reporting by Hacker News . The proposed bills follow scrutiny over how federal and local agencies use camera networks deployed by Flock Safety.

On Friday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced the Ban Flock Act. The measure would prohibit federal agencies from operating automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), block federal funding to state and local governments that use the cameras, and establish a private right of action permitting individuals to sue the federal government for rights violations involving ALPRs.

Announcements for the bill cited concerns over data sharing between local law enforcement and federal agencies, including May 2025 disclosures that municipal police conducted Flock searches for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following those disclosures, Flock modified its software to stop agencies in California, Illinois, and Virginia from searching out-of-state feeds, and added a feature designed to block impermissible queries in real time.

Sponsors also pointed to documentation showing police used Flock data to monitor immigration-related protests and nationwide 'No Kings' demonstrations, as well as an instructional webinar where Flock demonstrated how law enforcement could track protest participants. Hajar Hammado, senior policy advisor at advocacy organization Demand Progress, supported the bill, calling it a standard for addressing invasive ALPR deployments at the federal level.

The proposal follows a separate bill introduced late last month by Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Hawley's Stop Flock Abuse Act would require written authorization for individual database searches, mandate the deletion of driver data after ten days outside active investigations, and prohibit ALPR networks from incorporating facial recognition tools.

Separately, Representatives Greg Casar and Shontel Brown sent an inquiry to FBI Director Kash Patel questioning reported plans for nationwide ALPR data acquisition. Their letter cited past cross-jurisdiction search activity, including an instance where a Texas police officer queried Flock's national network to search for a woman who self-administered an abortion.