Boebert backs a warrant rule that covers plate-reader data
Lauren BoebertU.S. representative from Colorado
Rep. Lauren Boebert said the Surveillance Accountability Act would end warrantless searches, facial recognition and tracking and would let people sue federal officials who violate their rights. The bill would require a warrant for government searches, including plate-reader data collection.
“Our bill forces the government to obey the Fourth Amendment in the digital age. No more warrantless searches of your phone, cloud data, bank records, or internet history. No more hiding behind the 'third-party doctrine.' No more creepy warrantless facial recognition or tracking. If feds violate your rights? You can sue them for damages. The Bill of Rights isn’t a suggestion—it’s the law. Time to make Big Brother get a warrant.”
Official statement
Original text
Official statement
Other statements by Lauren Boebert in this case
- Lauren Boebert backs Flock-Off federal funding limitLater: Mixed or conditional
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
Release from Rep. Thomas Massie's office announcing H.R. 8470 with Rep. Lauren Boebert as co-lead. It quotes both members and says the bill would prohibit warrantless use of license plate reader systems tied to individuals, with exceptions such as consent and exigent circumstances.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Original text
About this source
Introduced bill sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie with Rep. Lauren Boebert. It would require a warrant based on probable cause for government searches and says its exceptions do not permit warrantless collection, retention, querying or analysis of plate-reader data gathered from drivers on public roadways without their consent.
Official statement
About this source
Joint release from Rep. Lauren Boebert's office announcing the bill with Rep. Thomas Massie. It quotes both members and lists restricting automated license plate readers, such as Flock cameras, among the bill's provisions.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Rep. Thomas Massie's office quoted Boebert, the bill's co-lead, in its April 23, 2026, release announcing the Surveillance Accountability Act.
After the quotation
The release says the bill would prohibit warrantless use of facial recognition, biometric tracking and license plate reader systems tied to individuals, with exceptions such as consent and exigent circumstances.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Boebert condemns warrantless tracking and backs a bill that would require a warrant before the government collects or queries plate-reader data, rather than banning the systems, which fits Mixed or conditional.
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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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- Boebert backs a warrant rule that covers plate-reader data
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The Dispute Index. "Boebert backs a warrant rule that covers plate-reader data". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4927-rep-lauren-boebert-said-the-surveillance-accountability-act