Frank Farry is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing District 6 in Bucks County, in office since December 2022. He previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for District 142. He is an attorney, a former Middletown Township assistant manager and a longtime volunteer firefighter and chief with the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company. He holds an economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, a master's degree in public policy from Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute and a law degree from Rutgers. He has led the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company as chief since 2001. He chairs the Senate Institutional Sustainability and Innovation Committee. His community board service has included the American Red Cross Lower Bucks County Chapter and Bucks County Community College.
Role at the time: Pennsylvania state senator (R) running for reelection in District 6
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Pennsylvania Sen. Frank Farry said Senate Bill 933 would be amended to include stricter data policies if it comes to a vote, and that law enforcement leaders and prosecutors call plate-reader systems a vital resource for investigations.
“The bill, if it ever has a vote, will be amended to include stricter data policies and protections for the public. Having spoken to numerous local law enforcement leaders and prosecutors over the last several years has shown the systems to be what they term as a vital resource for their investigations
Additionally, anyone violating the intended use of the readers should face swift and substantial penalties for their crimes.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Controversial AI License Plate Surveillance and Flock Cameras Heat up Bucks County State Senate RaceQuotes from Eileen Hartnett Albillar and Frank Farry on Senate Bill 933
Why we used this label
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Farry defends his cosponsorship of a bill to expand plate readers on state infrastructure, citing law enforcement leaders who call the systems a vital resource. He promises stricter data policies and penalties for misuse, but these accompany expansion rather than condition his support.
Networked automated license-plate cameras can assemble searchable records of vehicle movements. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to ban the systems, keep them with limits, or defend them as investigative tools. This tracker separates outright bans from narrower restrictions.
