Sen. Josh Hawley to introduce federal 'STOP Flock Abuse Act' regulating ALPR systems

First reported: September 30, 2026 · 1 source

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley is preparing to introduce legislation that would set federal guardrails on automated license plate readers and other AI-enabled surveillance cameras, according to an exclusive CBS News report. The measure, called the STOP Flock Abuse Act, would reportedly tighten limits on data retention and strengthen security protocols. Hawley said the bill is intended to establish basic safeguards for AI-powered cameras and protect constitutional rights, adding that law-abiding Americans should not be treated like criminals. The bill had not yet been formally introduced as described in the report, and its full text and prospects remain unclear.

Why this matters

A federal bill would set a national baseline for ALPR data handling, an area currently governed by a patchwork of state laws and individual agency policies.

Key facts

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is preparing to introduce the STOP Flock Abuse Act, first reported by CBS News.
The bill would regulate automated license plate readers through stronger data limits and security protocols.
Flock Safety has said it would add anti-abuse safeguards following criticism of its systems.
Recent investigations reported misuse by police, including officers accused of using the system for personal surveillance; those are allegations, not adjudicated findings.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said earlier this month that he would support legislation banning the cameras statewide.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Missouri GOP senator introduces bill to stop Flock camera abuse (fox23.com, September 30, 2026)

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 5, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.