AI Frontier Institute

Provides for municipal and state police authorities to acquire and to utilize automated license plate readers and identify what data may be collected and in what ways the data can be used.

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Rhode Island H 8077 has not been enacted. The House Judiciary Committee recommended on 2026-03-24 that it be held for further study. If enacted, it would add a new Chapter 5.3 to Title 12 that regulates automated license plate readers (ALPRs), including privately owned readers whose data is shared with law enforcement. Speed, tolling and intersection traffic-enforcement devices are excluded (§ 12-5.3-1). Municipal agencies would need city or town council approval after an advertised public hearing before they seek funds for ALPRs, acquire them, or enter data-sharing agreements. State agencies would first need to adopt policies through rulemaking (§ 12-5.3-2). Use would be limited to official law enforcement purposes: identifying stolen vehicles, vehicles tied to wanted, missing or endangered persons, NCIC matches, and vehicles tied to suspects in an active violent felony or domestic violence investigation. ALPRs could not capture images of occupants or pedestrians, record audio, or search by bumper-sticker content. They also could not be used to identify associated vehicles without a judicial warrant (§ 12-5.3-3(a)-(b)). An ALPR match alone would not be reasonable suspicion for a stop. The officer would have to verify the alert visually and through database checks. Officers would need certification from the department of public safety, and agencies would keep training logs (§ 12-5.3-3(d), (f)). Plate data would be deleted after 21 days, with exceptions for evidence or a probable-cause warrant (§§ 12-5.3-3(e), 12-5.3-4). Data sharing would be limited. Sharing for federal immigration enforcement, for identifying reproductive or gender-affirming care status, or for infringing First Amendment rights would be barred. External agencies would have to sign written agreements (§ 12-5.3-5). Agencies would keep monthly public logs of use (§ 12-5.3-6). Existing deployments would have to begin an approval process within 120 days of the effective date, and use would stop if approval isn't granted within 180 days of submission (§ 12-5.3-7). The attorney general could seek injunctions, and aggrieved persons could sue in superior court under § 9-1-28.1(b). Unlawfully collected data would be destroyed and generally could not be used as evidence (§ 12-5.3-8). The act would take effect January 1, 2027 (SECTION 2).

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