OLYMPIA, Wash. – Lawmakers in Washington are closer to passing a bill that would establish the state’s first rules for automated license plate readers (ALPRs).
The bill passed the Senate last week and had a hearing in the House on Wednesday.
If it becomes law, agencies would be required to delete most ALPR data within 21 days, with shorter limits for parking and commercial vehicle enforcement.
Under the proposed legislation, police would be limited to using ALPR data only for specific purposes, such as locating stolen cars or investigating felonies.
Senator Yasmin Trudeau from Tacoma highlighted the importance of transparency.
“These are issues that we need to make sure we address here in Washington state. We also have a number of states that have passed ALPR regulations to ensure that these things have some sort of oversight and transparency so that the public ultimately knows why they’re being used, what they are being used for, and they can trust that process. Right now, that is not the case,” Trudeau said during the hearing.
However, opponents of the bill argue it could hinder police departments’ ability to solve crimes.
James McMahan, Policy Director with the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police, expressed concerns, stating, “Cities around the state are asking that you include at a minimum gross misdemeanors. Those are serious crimes that deserve to be solved and this tool can be instrumental in helping law enforcement in our state with their very limited resources solve crimes for our community.”
Despite differing opinions, both sides agree that the state needs clear rules for how ALPR data is used. Lawmakers continue to debate potential changes to the bill.
