1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

Congress needs to pass meaningful restrictions on automated license plate readers before law enforcement lobbyists kill the momentum. This week, senior police officials from the Major County Sheriffs of America, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies are holding a private congressional briefing to push back against ALPR regulation — while Flock Safety, which holds contracts with over 5,000 law enforcement agencies, has already spent $2 million lobbying to protect its surveillance network. The public backlash against these cameras is real and justified. Officers have already been caught using Flock cameras to stalk ex-partners. A system that tracks every vehicle's movement, operated by a private company charging governments up to $3,000 per camera per year, is a mass surveillance infrastructure with almost no federal oversight. H.R. 9800 would prohibit federal funding for these systems entirely. H.R. 9716 would require a warrant before federal agencies access the data. Both bills deserve your support. Don't let a closed-door police lobby briefing override the clear public demand for privacy protections. Vote yes on H.R. 9800 and H.R. 9716.