Washington lawmakers want to regulate license plate readers

Washington lawmakers plan to introduce new regulations on automated license plate readers (ALPRs) after reports showed local police had allowed U.S. Border Patrol to access ALPR data—sometimes knowingly, sometimes through unintended system permissions. The ACLU of Washington says the issue has become more urgent amid the Trump administration’s mass-deportation efforts.

ALPRs, which capture and store vehicle data, are widespread in Washington but currently unregulated. A University of Washington report found multiple instances where police either granted or unknowingly allowed federal immigration authorities to search their databases, potentially violating state limits on cooperation with ICE and Border Patrol.

A forthcoming bill would not ban the technology but would create two major rules:
1. Strict data retention limits—proposing a 72-hour deletion window except in cases like violent crime investigations. Police departments and cities say three days may be too short; other states allow anywhere from minutes to months.
2. Tighter data-sharing rules—agencies could no longer give direct database access to others; instead, a warrant would be required. Police say this could complicate cooperation across jurisdictions.

The bill also seeks to address another concern: a recent court ruling that ALPR data is subject to public disclosure under Washington’s Public Records Act. Fearing privacy risks and massive records burdens, several cities have paused their ALPR programs. Law enforcement groups want ALPR data exempted from public records requests, similar to red-light camera rules.

The legislation, led by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, is expected to be introduced before the January 2026 session. Similar conversations are unfolding in Oregon.