What's happening
This bill requires New York to set minimum standards for police use of automatic license plate readers and mandates public disclosure of related policies.
Why it matters
Establishes clear statewide rules for how police can use automatic license plate readers (ALPRs),. including what purposes are allowed, what uses are forbidden, how the data can be shared, how long it can be kept, and requirements for officer training. This reduces the risk of inconsistent or abusive practices across different law enforcement agencies.
Mandates that all law enforcement agencies publicly disclose their ALPR policies,. either online or at their main office, making it easier for the public to understand, scrutinize, and hold police accountable for how these surveillance tools are used.
Requires ongoing and standardized officer training on ALPR use,. including periodic retraining, which may help reduce misuse, technical errors, and privacy violations as technology and best practices evolve.
Introduces more transparency and oversight into government surveillance technologies,. potentially helping to balance the benefits of ALPRs for law enforcement with the civil liberties and privacy concerns of New Yorkers.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Set Rules for Plate Readers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to consumer protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Set Rules for Plate Readers
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
963
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the use of automatic license plate reader systems
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 840 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. The council shall, in addition:
(a) Develop, maintain and disseminate a minimum standards policy governing the use of automatic license plate reader systems. The minimum standards policy shall include, but not be limited to, provisions on permissible uses of the automatic license plate reader technology, data sharing and dissemination, prohibited uses, record retention and management, and training. For purposes of this section, "automatic license plate reader system" or "ALPR system" shall mean a system of one or more mobile or fixed high-speed cameras used in combination with computer algorithms to convert images of license plates into computer-readable data.
(b) Recommend to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, rules and regulations with respect to the establishment and implementation on an ongoing basis of a training program for all current and new police officers regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this subdivision, along with recommendations for periodic retraining of police officers.
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 837-y to read as follows:
§ 837-y. Disclosure of the minimum standards policy for automatic license plate readers by law enforcement agencies. All state and local enforcement agencies shall conspicuously post the minimum standards for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03210-01-5
the use of automatic license plate reader systems policy, as promulgated under section eight hundred forty of this article on its website, or if such law enforcement agency does not maintain a website, in its main office. Such policy shall be made available to the public upon request.
§ 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the use of automatic license plate reader systems
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill would create guidelines for the use of license plate reader technology by law enforcement agencies.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 adds a new subdivision 7 to section 840 of the executive law requiring the municipal police training council to (a) develop, maintain and disseminate a minimum standards policy governing the use of automat- ic license plate reader systems. The minimum standards policy shall include, but not be limited to, provisions on permissible uses of the automated license plate reader technology, data sharing and dissem- ination, prohibited uses, record retention and management, and training; and (b) recommend to the governor, rules and regulations with respect to the establishment and implementation on an ongoing basis of a training program for all current and new police officers regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this subdivision, along with recommendations for periodic retraining of police officers. Such recom- mended rules and recommendations shall also be submitted to the tempo- rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly
Section 2 adds a new section 837-x to the executive law to provide that all state and local enforcement agencies shall conspicuously post the minimum standards for the use of automatic license plate reader systems policy, as promulgated under section 840 of this article on its website, or if the law enforcement agency does not maintain a website, in its main office. Such policy shall be made available to the public upon request. Section 3 sets the effective date.
Section 3 sets the effective date.
Justification
Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology has become an increas- ingly useful tool for law enforcement agencies for the purpose of aiding and assisting in catching criminals. New Yorkers have always valued privacy and the use of ALPR technology can infringe upon an innocent citizen's inherent right to privacy. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, this technology and data derived from it can essential- ly map out the entire life of a private citizen who has not committed or even been suspected of any crimes.
New York currently does not have uniform standards in place governing the use of ALPRs. This legislation would require the State's Municipal Police Training Council to develop such standards and to recommend rules and regulations to the Governor with respect to the establishment and implementation of a training program for all current and new officers regarding the established standards. In addition, all state and local enforcement agencies would be required to post the standards developed
on its website. This will increase transparency for the public, so indi- viduals know how this data will be used.
Prior legislative history
S.0685B of 2023-2024 (Hoylman-Sigal: Died in Consumer Protection
A940B of 2023-2024 (Paulin): Passed Assembly
S.0040 of 2019-2020 (Hoylman): Died in Consumer Protection
A.7254 of 2019-2020 (Paulin): Died in Governmental Operations
S.0023 of 2017-2018( Hoylman): Died in Transportation
S.7245 of 2016 (Hoylman): Died in Consumer Protection
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect one year after which it has become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.