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Progressives and Republicans Introduce Competing Bills to Rein In Flock Cameras

Sanders introduced legislation to restrict federal use and funding of automated license plate readers.

Progressives and Republicans Introduce Competing Bills to Rein In Flock Cameras
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This article1 analysis · Oct 8, 2026
Truthout
Oct 6, 2026
tl;dr

Lawmakers have introduced three competing bills to restrict automated license plate readers: the Ban Flock Act, Josh Hawley’s audit-and-data-retention proposal, and a separate bill from Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison. The proposals differ over whether to curb the technology through funding limits or regulate police use while allowing it to continue.

Community verdict

18 VOTES
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Bernie Sanders I · VT · SEN

Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 21

● OPEN
Votes cast on this page

Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0

People in this story

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Bernie Sanders
I · VT · SEN

Senator and co-introducer of the Ban Flock Act

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Josh Hawley
R · MO · SEN

Senator and sponsor of the Stop Flock Abuse Act

Hawley's version of this story ↗

Representative and co-introducer of the Ban Flock Act

Ocasio-Cortez's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President discussed in connection with the administration’s surveillance policies

Thomas Massie
R · KY-4

Representative and co-introducer of a bill restricting federal funding for ALPR systems

Eric Burlison
R · MO-7

Representative and co-introducer of Massie’s bill

Jeff Merkley
D · OR · SEN

Senator and co-introducer of the Ban Flock Act

Ro Khanna
D · CA-17

Representative and co-sponsor of Massie and Burlison’s bill

Part of a bigger story

21 OUTLETS
Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and Merkley Introduce License Plate Reader Bill

Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jeff Merkley introduced the Ban Flock Act, which would restrict federal use of automated license plate readers and related funding. Left-leaning outlets emphasize privacy harms and reported misuse, centering the sponsors’ objections. Center outlets describe the bill’s scope, with some also including Flock’s response or law-enforcement benefits. Right-leaning outlets give mostly factual accounts and set the bill against other lawmakers’ proposals.

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