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October 15, 2026 · U.S. Congress · State action

Rep. Pat Harrigan introduces a bill to require warrants for most license plate reader searches and 24-hour deletion

U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-N.C.) introduced H.R. 10822 on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, a bill "to restrict the usage of automated license plate reader system by governmental entities"; it was referred to the House Oversight and Government Reform and Judiciary committees, according to the congressional record summarized by LegiList. As described by Fox News Digital, the bill would require a probable-cause warrant for most ALPR searches (with exceptions for immediate threats to someone's life or safety), require most records to be deleted within 24 hours, bar searches targeting political or religious activity, civil immigration violations, parking or non-moving violations and debts, and bar agencies from categorizing vehicles by "expressive attributes" such as political or religious bumper stickers, flags or decals. It would also require search logs, annual reports and audits, cut 10% of certain federal criminal-justice funding for states without qualifying protections, bar vendors from selling ALPR data or using it to train AI models, and let people sue over illegal searches for at least $1,000 per violation, Fox News reported. Flock Safety told Fox its systems can detect bumper stickers but cannot identify their type, and that safeguards are designed to block searches based on political or religious stickers and symbols. The bill joins Rep. Rashida Tlaib's H.R. 10807, introduced Oct. 14, which would bar federal funds for ALPRs and other automated surveillance (Nextgov/FCW). Neither bill has become law.

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