WA Senate OKs guardrails for license plate readers

Legislation to regulate the use of automated license plate readers amid concerns over federal immigration agents accessing data the devices collect, passed the Washington state Senate on Wednesday.

It was a bipartisan, 40-9, vote with only Republicans opposed.

Many local police departments have adopted the emerging surveillance technology in recent years. The readers are mounted everywhere from street poles to police patrol cars. They can sweep up massive amounts of information, taking pictures of vehicles and using artificial intelligence to analyze the data.

Police can use the information to track vehicles that could be tied to criminal investigations. But most of the images are never looked at.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/04/wa-senate-oks-guardrails-for-license-plate-readers/