Michigan Bills Would Cap ALPR Data at 30 Days, Add Criminal Penalties for Misuse

First reported: September 26, 2026 · 2 sources

State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine, a Macomb County Republican, introduced House Bills 6411, 6412 and 6413 with Reps. Ron Robinson and Mike Mueller, which would require Michigan police agencies to delete license plate reader data after 30 days, with an exemption for active investigations. The package would make improper searches, unauthorized data sharing, or personal or commercial use of ALPR data a 93-day misdemeanor for a first offense, with up to four years in prison for repeat offenses. St. Germaine told WXYZ that police chiefs in her district requested the legislation and that she does not believe misuse is widespread. The bills are proposals only and have not been enacted.

Why this matters

Michigan lawmakers are weighing at least three competing ALPR proposals with different retention limits and warrant requirements, making the state a test case for how legislatures balance police access against privacy safeguards. Criminal penalties for data misuse would be an enforcement mechanism that many existing ALPR policies lack.

Key facts

HBs 6411-6413 would require 30-day deletion of ALPR data, exempting records tied to active investigations.
Penalties under the package: 93-day misdemeanor for a first misuse offense; up to four years in prison for a second or subsequent offense.
Competing measures include Sen. Jim Runestad's SB 1131 (14-day deletion plus warrant requirement) and HBs 5492/5493 (14-day cap, transparency rules, $1,000 civil remedy), which remain in House Judiciary Committee.
The Police Officers Association of Michigan said it is reviewing the bills and wants clear access and retention standards plus protections for officers acting in good faith.
More than 180 Michigan agencies — roughly one in three departments — use ALPRs, per a report relayed by CBS News, while Monroe, Westland and Eastpointe have ended Flock contracts.

Timeline

September 26, 2026Macomb County Lawmaker's Flock Bills Would Jail Cops for Snooping on Plates
September 25, 2026Michigan lawmakers propose Flock camera regulations amid growing debate over privacy, misuse

Sources

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

Macomb County Lawmaker's Flock Bills Would Jail Cops for Snooping on Plates (Hoodline, September 26, 2026)
Michigan lawmakers propose Flock camera regulations amid growing debate over privacy, misuse (Wxyz, September 25, 2026)

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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 September 28, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.