Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the Ban Flock Act, legislation aimed at prohibiting the federal government from using automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), including those operated by the private company Flock Safety. Though the bill does not name Flock directly, it targets all ALPR systems and prevents federal agencies from accessing the data collected by these devices without congressional approval. Exceptions are limited to toll collection and specific uses approved through future legislation that would restrict data retention to 48 hours.

The proposed law would impose financial penalties on state and local governments that continue to use ALPR technology, threatening the loss of grants from key federal departments such as the Justice Department and Homeland Security starting the fiscal year after the bill's passage. This move comes amid growing public backlash against Flock Safety and similar systems, driven by concerns over privacy and surveillance abuses. The bill also allows Americans to sue the federal government for violations and enables state attorneys general to enforce the law.

Flock Safety, valued by investors at over $8 billion, is currently the largest ALPR provider in the U.S., with a network of more than 120,000 cameras scanning over 20 billion vehicle license plates each month. In response to mounting criticism and contract cancellations nationwide, Flock has reduced its data retention period from 30 to seven days and introduced an audit tool to flag suspicious searches, which temporarily locks out officers pending review. The company’s CEO, Garrett Langley, has indicated interest in further safeguards like a "double-key" approval system for searches.

The bill has attracted co-sponsors such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Jeff Merkley, reflecting a broader legislative pushback against widespread use of surveillance technologies. Debate over Flock and ALPR systems is expected to continue, with Flock CEO Langley scheduled for an interview at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt event in October in San Francisco. The outcome of this legislation remains uncertain, as it faces the typical challenges of advancing through Congress.