Merkley backs a federal ban on automatic license plate readers
Jeff MerkleyU.S. senator
Jeff Merkley supported the Ban Flock Act, which would prohibit federal use of automatic license plate readers and limit federal funding for state and local use.
“Your right to privacy includes the freedom to move around your community without every move being monitored.”
Official statement
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
The congressional sponsors described the proposed bill and their positions on Flock Safety and automatic license plate reader networks.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Merkley spoke in the announcement of the Ban Flock Act.
After the quotation
The bill would prohibit federal automatic license plate reader use and block certain federal funding for state and local use.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Merkley says Flock's system threatens privacy and supports legislation limiting automatic license plate reader use.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Flock Safety
More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Merkley backs a federal ban on automatic license plate readers
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/4516-jeff-merkley-supported-the-ban-flock-act-which
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Merkley backs a federal ban on automatic license plate readers". First published: 2026-10-04. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4516-jeff-merkley-supported-the-ban-flock-act-which