An Analysis of Automated License Plate Reader Legislation

The use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology in both the public and private sector has been growing in recent years (Aegerter 2013; Greenberg 2015). As ALPR use has increased, researchers have raised concerns about the storage, retention, and use of this data (Joh 2016). While some states have passed legislation governing the sharing of ALPR data, there is evidence that some local law enforcement agencies are ignoring these laws (Maass 2019). Local law enforcement agencies are also encouraging businesses and residents to share details about ALPR technology they deploy privately (City of Marietta 2019). The purpose of this multi-phase research study is to explore emergent issues related to private and public-sector implementation of ALPR technologies. Phase one of this study is an analysis of existing state legislation regarding ALPR usage in both the private and public sectors. The results of this analysis will show the differences between states in critical areas of concern for ALPR usage, such as data retention, sharing, destruction, and regulatory oversight of both private and public-sector implementations