Pennsylvania Lawmakers Introduce At Least Nine Bills to Restrict or Ban License Plate Readers

First reported: September 18, 2026 · 2 sources

Spotlight PA reports that Pennsylvania legislators from both parties had introduced at least nine bills as of early September to limit or prohibit automated license plate readers, with seven filed in the preceding six weeks. Proposals range from an outright ban, sponsored by Sen. Dan Laughlin (R., Erie), to warrant requirements and local opt-out authority proposed by Reps. David Rowe (R., Union) and Josh Bashline (R., Clarion). Gov. Josh Shapiro said publicly that Flock cameras are not a tool he supports, and his Republican opponent Stacy Garrity also backs a ban. The Department of General Services said it is removing Flock from the COSTARS contracting portal and reviewing other ALPR vendors listed there.

Why this matters

Pennsylvania's debate shows how state procurement channels and statewide legislation, rather than individual city councils, can shape whether ALPR networks expand. No state has enacted an outright ban to date, so the outcome could set a reference point for other legislatures weighing bans against retention and warrant rules.

Key facts

At least nine bills restricting or banning ALPRs had been introduced in Pennsylvania as of early September, seven within the prior six weeks.
The Department of General Services said one municipality bought a Flock contract through COSTARS; Flock registered with the portal in 2025 and the agency is now removing it.
The Shapiro administration says no Flock cameras are on state roadways or property; Flock declined to say how many of its cameras operate statewide.
Police chiefs association head Scott Bohn and District Attorneys Association director Kelly Callihan both oppose a blanket ban, citing investigative uses; ACLU-PA's Liz Randol cited lack of transparency and oversight.
Flock cut its default data retention from 30 days to 7 days last month and added filters allowing agencies to block immigration-related searches; 16 states have ALPR restrictions and none has enacted a full ban.

Sources

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

State Lawmakers Eye Limits, Ban On Flock Cameras (newtownpanow.com, September 18, 2026)
NY lawmakers eye new rules for Flock cameras amid privacy concerns (WWNY, September 15, 2026)

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Everything we have documented in Pennsylvania, or search every Pennsylvania 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 September 29, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.