Emilia Sykes (D-OH)
Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is called the Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act. It requires states and local governments that receive Byrne or COPS grant funds to report certain automated license plate reader incidents to the Attorney General. These reports must cover illegal or policy-violating access to plate reader info, officer convictions for covered offenses involving plate readers, and any corrective measures taken. If a government fails to report, the Attorney General must reduce their grant funding by 15 percent. If they fail to impose corrective measures on an officer, their funding is reduced by 10 percent. The bill also authorizes the Department of Justice Inspector General to conduct audits and requires the Attorney General to publish the reports online.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +7
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires the Attorney General to make reports on automated license plate reader incidents publicly available online.
- Scored +6
Does this change how police departments operate?
The bill mandates transparency and accountability regarding law enforcement abuse of automated license plate readers by penalizing agencies that fail to report or correct misconduct.
- Scored +5
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
By requiring reporting and corrective measures for the misuse of automated license plate readers, the bill helps protect citizens from unauthorized surveillance and tracking.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Greater Transparency: Under Section 2(e), the Attorney General must make the submitted reports publicly available online. This is a positive step because it keeps the public informed about how law enforcement officers use automated license plate readers and whether rules are being broken.
-
Officer Accountability: Under Section 2(a)(3) and Section 2(c), states and local governments face financial penalties if they fail to impose corrective measures on law enforcement officers who violate laws or policies regarding plate readers, or who are convicted of covered offenses involving them. This holds officials accountable and encourages agencies to discipline officers who abuse their power.
-
Federal Oversight: Under Section 2(d), states and local governments must permit the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to conduct audits. This ensures that an independent federal watchdog can verify whether agencies are properly imposing corrective measures on rogue officers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reduced Funding for Local Programs: Under Section 2(b) and Section 2(c), the Attorney General is required to reduce Byrne and COPS grant program funding to states and local governments by 15 percent for failing to report, and by 10 percent for failing to correct officer misconduct. If a local government loses this money, it could negatively impact community safety programs and local law enforcement resources that rely on these federal grants.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Attorney General to make reports on automated license plate reader incidents publicly available online. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — By requiring reporting and corrective measures for the misuse of automated license plate readers, the bill helps protect citizens from unauthorized surveillance and tracking. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal oversight by authorizing the Department of Justice Inspector General to conduct audits and requiring states to report local law enforcement actions to the Attorney General.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this change how police departments operate? — The bill mandates transparency and accountability regarding law enforcement abuse of automated license plate readers by penalizing agencies that fail to report or correct misconduct.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill increases accountability for illegal or policy-violating access to automated license plate reader information, thereby enhancing personal privacy protections.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill reduces federal grant funding to states and local governments that fail to report automated license plate reader incidents or impose corrective measures.
- 10/22/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House