Documented Incident
Ban Flock Act (H.R. 10691) Would Bar Federal Agencies From Using ALPR Data
First reported: October 3, 2026 · 9 sources
A bill introduced in the US House, H.R. 10691, dubbed the Ban Flock Act, would prohibit federal agencies and officials from acquiring, accessing, or using automated license plate readers or ALPR data — including data from private camera networks, HOAs, commercial parking operators, and data brokers — absent an explicit act of Congress. Any future authorization would have to cap retention at 48 hours and include due process, privacy, and free association protections. The measure would also disqualify state and local governments that operate ALPRs from grants through the Justice, Transportation, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Homeland Security departments. Reclaim The Net reports Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the House sponsor and Sen. Jeff Merkley the Senate sponsor, with Sen. Bernie Sanders also described as planning a Senate version. The bill has been introduced only and has not been enacted.
The proposal would set a federal baseline on ALPR retention and use, and its grant-eligibility conditions would reach local agencies that contract with vendors like Flock. It also signals that scrutiny of license plate reader networks is coming from lawmakers in both parties.
Key facts
- H.R. 10691 would bar federal acquisition or use of ALPRs and ALPR data without explicit congressional authorization, which would have to cap retention at 48 hours.
- Evidence obtained in violation would be inadmissible in federal court; individuals could sue for actual and punitive damages, and state attorneys general could sue to enforce.
- Toll systems are exempted, but toll data would have to be deleted within 48 hours of payment and could not be run against law enforcement hot lists.
- In early September, Reps. Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison introduced the Flock-Off Act (H.R. 10221), which would also cut federal funding to governments using ALPRs and biometric cameras.
- The article reports that in August, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered Flock cameras removed from state highways within 30 days, a year after the state approved $4.6 million for 440 devices.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- House Bill Would Ban Federal Use of Flock ALPR Data (reclaimthenet.org, October 3, 2026)
- New Bill Seeks To Ban Federal Use Of Flock License Plate Readers (News12 | Westchester, October 2, 2026)
- New Bill Seeks To Ban Federal Use Of Flock License Plate Readers (News12 | Brooklyn, October 2, 2026)
- New Bill Seeks To Ban Federal Use Of Flock License Plate Readers (News12 | Bronx, October 2, 2026)
- Senators Propose Ban on Federal Use of License Plate Readers (Northeast Times, October 3, 2026)
- New Bill Seeks To Ban Federal Use Of Flock License Plate Readers (News12 | Westchester, October 2, 2026)
- Lawmakers Unveil Bill to Ban Federal Use of License Plate Readers (MeriTalk, October 5, 2026)
- House Bill Would Ban Federal Use of Flock ALPR Data (Sgt Report, October 5, 2026)
- New Bill Seeks To Ban Federal Use Of Flock License Plate Readers (News12 | Long Island, October 3, 2026)
More from Florida
Everything we have documented in Florida, or search every Florida article in the archive.
About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated October 9, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.