Bill > S09890

This bill generally prohibits government entities in New York from operating automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems—which are software and camera setups that convert license plate images into computer-readable data—or using the captured data, except for strictly limited purposes like checking against specific hot lists for felony warrants, missing persons, or stolen vehicles, managing parking, controlling access to secured areas, collecting tolls, or enforcing traffic laws. To protect personal privacy, the legislation mandates that any captured plate data must be deleted within 48 hours unless longer retention is specifically required for active investigations, court cases, or unpaid fines, and it restricts data sharing while exempting this information from open records requests under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), which ensures public access to government documents. Additionally, the bill requires government agencies using ALPR systems to publish detailed annual transparency reports and maintain access logs, establishes an exclusionary rule that bans the use of unlawfully obtained plate data in court proceedings, and allows individuals whose privacy was violated to sue for damages, while empowering the state attorney general to bring civil actions to enforce compliance.