Texas and Florida Move to Restrict Automated License Plate Readers
Two major states have taken executive action against ALPR networks in recent days, signaling growing momentum against mass surveillance infrastructure across the country.
Recent state-level decisions targeting automated license plate reader systems represent a significant setback for ALPR deployment nationwide. The actions underscore mounting public resistance to mass surveillance technologies. Grassroots organizing has driven a bipartisan wave of opposition that has already convinced numerous municipalities to abandon these camera networks.
On August 28, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from allocating taxpayer money toward Flock cameras. The directive came as The Texas Tribune was preparing to release an investigation documenting how a state agency had secretly invested roughly $30 million in establishing an extensive surveillance infrastructure.
Florida followed suit on August 31, when the state's Department of Transportation released a directive—announced by Governor Ron DeSantis—mandating the removal of all ALPRs from state highway rights-of-way within 30 days. The memo invalidates all existing permits for ALPR installation and prevents transportation authorities from approving new ones going forward.
Officials at FDOT explained their reasoning, stating that "the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life." Following this directive, numerous Florida municipalities have terminated or suspended their agreements with surveillance vendors.
However, significant gaps remain in these restrictions. Within Florida, many ALPRs operate outside state highway corridors—positioned on municipal streets, county thoroughfares, private driveways, and commercial parking facilities that fall outside FDOT's jurisdiction. Similarly, Texas's order does not prevent local authorities from using municipal, county, federal, or private funding sources to deploy cameras.
The recent victories build on years of sustained advocacy by community organizations that have successfully pressured dozens of municipalities to end relationships with surveillance technology providers. Data indicates that over the past month, approximately three localities daily have discontinued their Flock contracts. Advocates have also pursued resistance through legislative channels, court proceedings, and investigative journalism exposing problematic practices.
The Florida and Texas actions demonstrate how executive authority can rapidly restrict mass surveillance deployment. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is calling on California Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Transportation to follow suit, particularly by removing ALPRs that U.S. Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration have positioned along California highways.
The EFF maintains that ALPR mass surveillance—the systematic, warrantless collection and storage of location information on all drivers without individualized suspicion—should be eliminated entirely. While the recent Texas and Florida actions represent meaningful progress, advocates emphasize that the campaign is far from complete. The organization pledges to continue partnering with community organizations to prevent camera installation on local roads while pressing courts and state legislatures to establish binding restrictions on this form of mass surveillance.
Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation (Deeplinks / Updates)