AI Frontier Institute

Automated license plate recognition systems.

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California SB 1013, the Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Data Accountability Act (Section 1), amends Civil Code Sections 1798.90.5 through 1798.90.55 and adds Section 1798.90.57 to strengthen oversight of automated license plate recognition systems. Key provisions include: (1) Narrowing the definition of 'public agency' to exclude transportation agencies, public transit operators, departments of transportation, public works departments, campus transportation agencies, parking operators in parking facilities, state agencies operating parking facilities under Government Code Section 14678, and the State Air Resources Board (Section 1798.90.5). (2) Requiring ALPR operators and end-users to implement security safeguards including supervisory approval, robust authentication protocols, tracking of employee searches, and mandatory data security and privacy training for all employees accessing ALPR information (Sections 1798.90.51 and 1798.90.53). (3) Requiring usage and privacy policies to specify the purpose for which employees and independent contractors access ALPR information (Sections 1798.90.51 and 1798.90.53). (4) Requiring records of ALPR access to include a 'brief, accurate, specific, and plain language statement' describing the purpose; generic entries such as 'investigation' or 'patrol' are explicitly insufficient (Sections 1798.90.52 and 1798.90.55). (5) Beginning January 1, 2027, mandating that new or updated contracts with ALPR vendors prohibit default access to national ALPR databases and restrict inter-agency sharing to California state law enforcement agencies consistent with Department of Justice General Order 2023-05 (Section 1798.90.55). (6) Limiting law enforcement use of ALPR information to locating vehicles or persons reasonably suspected of involvement in a public offense or locating missing persons (Section 1798.90.55). (7) Beginning January 1, 2028, requiring public agencies to archive ALPR information held more than 60 days within 14 days, unless it is part of an active investigation, criminal proceeding, or matches an authorized hot list; prohibiting queries of archived information except pursuant to a California court warrant (Section 1798.90.57). (8) Requiring the Department of Justice, beginning October 1, 2029 and contingent on appropriation, to conduct annual random audits of public agencies that are ALPR operators or end-users for compliance with usage and privacy policies (Section 1798.90.54). The bill applies to all cities including charter cities and provides for state reimbursement of mandated local costs under Part 7 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code (Sections 9 and 10).

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