Oregon lawmakers have approved new guardrails for automatic license plate reader technology.
The bill comes after cities across Oregon, including Eugene and Springfield, contracted with private companies that operate networks of cameras that photograph vehicles and store the images in a searchable database.
Under the bill, which now heads to the governor’s desk, police must delete images after 30 days if they’re not linked to an investigation. They must also limit out-of-state access and record and justify every search.
Rep. Willy Chotzen, D-Portland, said it leaves room for local communities to enact even stricter standards.
"If some sort of city or county wants to go further, then the requirements we're setting forth, they're more than free to do so," Chotzen said during a Thursday floor speech in support of the measure.
The bill, which included other public safety policy changes, passed both the House and Senate with broad, bipartisan support.
The was initially developed by a work group including Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, along with police leaders and the Oregon ACLU.
The two groups disagreed over a few key provisions – specifically retention periods, with the ACLU raising concerns that a 30-day record of a vehicle’s movements could allow law enforcement or bad actors to capture a complete picture of a person’s life, without a warrant.
Law enforcement argued for a 30-day retention period, arguing sometimes it takes longer than that to investigate a crime. To delete data before then, they argued, could destroy crucial evidence.
Privacy advocates also raised objections against the bill after it was amended mid-way through the session to remove the definition for end-to-end encryption. The final version says it's required, but does not specify what end-to-end encryption legally means.
