In the months leading up to the legislative session, automated license plate readers (ALPRs) were a topic of deep discussion. Concerns centered on whether federal immigration enforcement agencies could access Washington law enforcement agency data in violation of the Keep Washington Working Act. Cities were also being subject to numerous public records requests for ALPR data, creating costs and concerns around security of the information.

In response, Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) introduced SB 6002 after engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including AWC, to develop legislation to regulate the use of ALPRs. The House companion bill, HB 2332, was sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D–Redmond).

AWC worked diligently with city leaders, stakeholders, and the Legislature to refine the bill to balance privacy concerns and public safety. We are grateful to the Senate and House bill sponsors and Legislative members for working with us to achieve this balance.

The Legislature has passed SB 6002, addressing many of cities’ concerns, including exempting ALPR data from disclosure under the Public Records Act. The bill is set to go into effect immediately upon the Governor's signature. Cities with ALPR systems should start to work on implementation of the new law now. Here is a rundown of the final bill that now awaits Gov. Bob Ferguson’s signature.

Cities with ALPR systems should review the actual legislation carefully. This summary is not intended to be legal advice.

Authorization & use

Local governments and law enforcement agencies are authorized to use ALPR-gathered data for purposes of comparison against the following:

• Federal and state databases maintained by the Department of Licensing, the state criminal justice information system, the FBI kidnappings and missing persons list, the National Cetner for Missing and Exploited Children list, and Washington state missing persons lists.
• Manually entered and searchable license plate numbers and vehicle characteristics in the ALPR system for investigations of a vehicle that has been determined to be stolen, associated with a missing or endangered person, registered to an individual related to or involved in a felony or gross misdemeanor case, or registered to an individual with an outstanding felony or gross misdemeanor warrant. The data cannot be used for misdemeanor crimes.

Parking enforcement agencies are authorized to use ALPR data for enforcing parking restrictions and identifying vehicles in impoundment or immobilization databases in accordance with local ordinances. Transportation agencies may utilize ALPR data for public real-time traffic information, traffic modeling and studies, and enforcement of commercial vehicle systems.

State and local agencies utilizing ALPR systems are the legal owners of the data by that system.

Any positive match made by the ALPR is not considered grounds for reasonable suspicion and requires law enforcement to independently develop reasonable suspicion for a stop or confirm visually that the plate number matches the image displayed by the ALPR and confirm by other means that the plate number is specified in one of the accounted-for databases.

The bill makes it illegal to use ALPR-gathered data for immigration investigations or enforcement purposes or for tracking or monitoring constitutionally protected activities. It would also be illegal to gather ALPR data on or surrounding premises of immigration or protected health care services, elementary or secondary schools, food banks, courts, or places of worship.

For authorization of ALPR use, local agencies are required to register the system with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) within 180 days of the bill’s effective date.

ALPR data is not subject to the Public Records Act, and gathered data may not be disclosed or shared with other entities except for judicial proceedings or other AGO-authorized state agencies. Data is allowed to be disclosed for legitimate research as defined in RCW 48.48.010 and may be shared in discovery in accordance with court orders. Agencies are not allowed to make ALPR data or audit data available for purchase, sale, lease, or rent. Additionally, any agency that compares the data to a database must ensure the database is updated at least once every 24 hours.

Privately held ALPR data may only be obtained through a valid, court-issued, probable cause warrant. This means that a business or individual cannot voluntarily provide ALPR data to law enforcement without law enforcement obtaining a warrant.

Third-party vendors providing the ALPR system may only access data as necessary to fulfill purposes authorized by an agency. ALPR vendors are prohibited from making updates to the ALPR system—including software updates—that would change permissions without the explicit knowledge and consent of the authorized agency.

All data used to search the ALPR system and retained as audit trail data is only authorized for audit purposes and may not be searched, analyzed, compiled, or indexed for investigative purposes.

Any information gathered in an unauthorized manner is inadmissible in court except in instances where the impacted person gives permission in pursuit of private right of action.

Retention

The bill enacts a strict retention timeline. Data gathered cannot be retained for longer than 21 days except in the following circumstances:

• Data pursuant to a valid, court-issued, felony or gross misdemeanor warrant or subpoena or as permitted by a court for criminal or civil cases must be deleted at the end of the criminal or civil case consistent with standard retention requirements.
• Parking enforcement data must be deleted no later than 12 hours after final disposition of enforcement cases, which includes resolution of any appeals process.
• Traffic studies data must be deleted no later than 30 days after collection.
• Commercial vehicle enforcement data must be deleted no later than six months after collection.
• Data collected may be retained as long as needed if being used as evidence of a crime pertaining to the outlined authorized usage of law enforcement.
• Data retained as evidence in cases of unlawful conduct in felony and gross misdemeanor cases may be retained as long as needed.

Policy development requirements

The AGO is mandated to develop and make available model policies by July 1, 2027. Agencies using ALPRs must adopt governing policies and provide a copy of the policy to the AGO by December 1, 2027. Agencies must also publish that policy to their website and provide the link to the AGO. If policies are not aligned with the AGO model policy, an explanation for the reason for departure, including how the policies are consistent with the law, and a copy of the agency policy must also be provided. Any modifications to policies made after December 1, 2026, must be submitted to the AGO within 60 days. By December 31, 2027, the AGO must publish a report on the requirements and include its developed model policies on its website.

Annual reports to relevant legislative committees are also required for all entities that use ALPRs. In addition to providing annual reports to the Legislature, all agencies must make the report publicly available on their website.

Reports must include the following:

• Number of matches that resulted in traffic stops or arrests with number of subsequent prosecutions;
• Number of stolen vehicles and plates recovered;
• Number of received preservation requests and disclosure orders;
• Number of times ALPR data or audit trial data was shared or accessed by another government agency, including the name of the agencies granted access or data;
• Number of times the ALPR data was shared or accessed due to a judicial warrant;
• Any policy changes that impact data collection, retention, access, or sharing;
• Results of internal audits of system;
• Total annual number of ALPR system reads, searches, yielding results, and alerts; and
• Locations of ALPR cameras used by the agency.

Prior to or during implementation of an ALPR system, local agencies must promote public awareness on the use of the system.

Audits

Agencies are required to maintain records of data access activity, or “audit trail data,” and must keep that information for two years. Audit trail data must include, at minimum, a record of each time ALPR data is accessed, searched, exported, downloaded, or shared. It must also include any audit trail data created by or made available through a third-party vendor providing ALPR services. Agencies are responsible for ensuring all vendor audit trail data is obtained and retained by the agency.

When retaining records regarding the access and search of ALPR data, agencies must include the following information:

• Identity or username of the person who accessed or searched the system and, if applicable, the organization or entity that person is affiliated with;
• Data and time of access or search;
• Data elements used to search the system;
• Specified purpose for access or search, including the offense type for criminal investigations;
• Any associated call for service or case number; and
• Location of the cameras in which the accessed or search data was collected.

Data elements used to search the ALPR system and, therefore, retained as audit trail data may not be searched, analyzed, compiled, or indexed for investigative means. Prior to any public disclosure, data elements comprising unique identifiers must be partially redacted.

Additionally, each agency must conduct annual internal audits to review:

• Access and use of the ALPR system based on audit trail data; and
• Agency compliance with data retention, deletion, and sharing requirements.

Violations & penalties

There are criminal and civil penalties for violations under the bill. Willful and intentional violations from unauthorized access, search, use, retention, selling, sharing, allowance of unpermitted access, or dissemination are a gross misdemeanor offense. Any person harmed by a violation may seek civil remedy, including monetary damages. A court may award costs of the action, including attorney’s fees, to the injured person.

Need-to-know definitions

As defined under SB 6002:

• Audit trail data: all forms of data collected or created by an ALPR system that identify how the system was used, including how and when data was accessed or used. This definition does not include ALPR data.
• Automated license plate reader data: all data collected by ALPR systems including, but not limited to, GPS coordinates, location, date and time, speed of travel, photograph, license plate number, vehicle characteristics, and any other identifying information
• Automated license plate reader system: a system, software, or computer algorithm, used independently or in combination with one or more mobile or fixed automated cameras, used to convert images of license plates into computer-readable data. This definition excludes automated school bus safety cameras, speed safety cameras, automated traffic safety cameras, and photo toll system cameras.
• Facilities: a building or buildings and/or immediately adjacent parking lots that are primarily or exclusively used for protected health services, immigration matters, elementary and secondary schools, place of worship, courts, or food banks

Urge Senate concurrence: Favorable ALPR bill amendments made by House

March 6, 2026

The House passed SB 6002 on Thursday with many AWC-requested amendments.

Positive headway was made on the automated license plate readers (ALPRs) bill as it moved through the House. Because the House amended the version passed by the Senate, the bill returns to the Senate to request acceptance of the amendments. Please immediately reach out to your senators to urge them to concur with the House version of the bill, which now:

• Includes ALPR use for investigating gross misdemeanors in addition to felonies;
• Removes dashboard or body-worn cameras from ALPR definition except when converted into searchable data by license plate number or other identifiers;
• Makes ALPR data searchable by vehicle characteristics;
• Allows data retention beyond 21 days if that data is pursuant to a gross misdemeanor warrant;
• Modifies definition of “audit trail data” to only apply to identification of how collected or generated ALPR data is accessed or used; and
• Makes additional technical amendments.

AWC appreciates the work of Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D-Redmond) and House members to make this bill workable for local governments. AWC members need to urge the Senate to solidify the progress made in the House that balances protecting individual privacy and public safety.

City voices needed as ALPR bill awaits vote in the House

March 2, 2026

With only days left for the Legislature to pass bills, please reach out to your legislators immediately.

AWC has received word of proposed floor amendments that are expected to be filed for SB 6002. We ask that you reach out to your legislators to express your support for the following:

• Rep. Salahuddin’s striking amendment to include additional technical language fixes that were requested;
• Rep. Leavitt’s amendment to clarify that law enforcement can search ALPR data by vehicle descriptions in addition to license plate numbers; and
• An amendment to add some gross misdemeanors to the allowable uses for ALPRs.

City voices are vital in making an impactful push on this bill in the final days. We ask all cities to reach out to your House members to discuss concerns with the bill in its current form and impress the importance of the passage of the three proposed floor amendments outlined above. Please also share the AWC letter asking for the addition of gross misdemeanors with them.

When speaking with your legislators, we encourage you to use the following talking points in support of the proposed amendments:

• Allow ALPR data use in investigations of gross misdemeanors. As currently written, the bill excludes ALPR use for all misdemeanor offenses. Gross misdemeanors encompass serious crimes that have lasting community impacts. The continued use of ALPRs as a tool in these investigations is crucial.
• Adoption of AWC-requested technical amendments. The bill has numerous instances of confusing or inaccurate language. AWC has requested several technical amendments based on feedback from cities. These amendments are absolutely must-have items for this legislation to be implementable. Some of these technical changes include adding vehicle characteristics to what may be searched for in ALPR data (without this change, many crimes that currently rely on the vehicle description provided by the victim or witness may go unsolved), removing inaccurate terms like “watch list,” and clarifying that the public records exemptions are retroactive. Ask your legislator to support these necessary technical corrections.

SB 6002 passed out of the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee this week with modest amendments. Ahead of the committee’s vote, AWC sent a letter with over 80 mayoral signatures to the Legislature urging them to allow continued use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) technology for investigations of gross misdemeanors.

Unfortunately, gross misdemeanors were not included in the bill as it was passed out of committee, though the following amendments were made by the committee:

• Clarifies ALPR use is prohibited around elementary and secondary schools, instead of schools generally;
• Defines “facilities” to include any buildings and adjacent parking lots used primarily and exclusively for protected health care, immigration matters, elementary and secondary schools, places of worship, courts, or food banks;
• Requires deletion of data obtained due to a probable cause felony warrant or subpoena at the conclusion of criminal or civil cases according to the applicable record retention schedule;
• Authorizes use of ALPRs for parking enforcement on the use of parking spaces, rather than only time restrictions; and
• Changes the requirement to delete ALPR-obtained parking data within 12 hours after final deposition of case, including conclusion of appeals process, instead of 12 hours after collection.

The clarifications on parking enforcement are helpful and part of the technical changes AWC has been requesting.

Immediate action needed on ALPR bill

February 23, 2026

SB 6002 is scheduled for committee action on Tuesday, and city voices are once again needed. We ask all cities to engage with your legislators to ensure that the city perspective is heard.

Please reach out to your legislators immediately to express your desire for the following changes:

• Allow ALPR data use in investigations of gross misdemeanors. As currently written, the bill excludes ALPR use for all misdemeanor offenses. Gross misdemeanors encompass serious crimes that have lasting community impacts. The continued use of ALPRs as a tool in these investigations is crucial.
• Allow workable ALPR use in parking enforcement. The restrictions on data retention for parking enforcement make ALPRs virtually unusable for parking enforcement. Cities need reasonable data retention periods for parking enforcement and the ability to retain evidence until a parking violation has been fully adjudicated.
• Adoption of AWC-requested technical amendments. The bill has numerous instances of confusing or inaccurate language. AWC has requested several technical amendments based on feedback from cities. Ask your legislator to support these necessary technical corrections.

For reference, gross misdemeanors include, but are not limited to, an attempt to commit a Class C felony and the following offenses:

We appreciate the feedback provided by cities as we strive to make this bill workable for you. Amplifying this work by reaching out to your legislators is a critical step in our collective efforts to further this issue and gain favorable ground on the bill.

Date to remember

SB 6002 is scheduled for a vote in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on February 24 at 10:30 am.

ALPR bill scheduled for public hearing in the House

February 13, 2026

SB 6002 recently passed out of the Senate and is now scheduled for a public hearing in the House. AWC worked extensively with the Senate sponsor and stakeholders on this bill. Our work now continues in the House.

AWC still holds concerns regarding the exclusion of using automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to solve misdemeanor crimes. We look forward to working with Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D–Redmond), sponsor of the House companion bill, on further amendments.

AWC is continuing to ask for the inclusion of gross misdemeanor crimes as a legitimate use of ALPR data. We are also requesting a number of technical clarifications to ensure that the systems can be used effectively. We are seeking further clarification that ALPR data is not subject to disclosure and that it applies to existing data.

We encourage you to reach out to your House members and update them on the importance of ALPR systems in solving crimes and encourage them to support efforts by AWC to improve the bill. If you are interested in testifying on the bill, please feel free to reach out.

Date to remember

SB 6002 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on February 18 at 8 am.

ALPR bill passes the Senate, continues in the House

February 6, 2026

An amended version of SB 6002 passed off the Senate floor and now moves over to the House. The amended version of the bill addressed some of AWC’s concerns but did not include the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) for solving misdemeanor crimes. More work and stakeholder engagement will take place as the bill moves through the legislative process in the House. AWC will continue to advocate for inclusion of misdemeanor crimes and further technical changes to address concerns with how the bill will be implemented.

The changes adopted to SB 6002 before it passed the Senate include:

• Removes ALPR use for photo toll systems and subsequent retention requirements;
• Removes manual entry requirement for license plate numbers;
• Prohibits upgrades made to ALPR systems by vendors without the informed consent of the authorizing Washington agency, specifically changes impacting sharing permissions;
• Prohibits the sharing, selling, leasing, renting, or access granting by an ALPR vendor to any unauthorized entity; and
• Defines “privacy” to include data collection, retention periods, access, or sharing in the agency’s annual report for any changes to policies.

AWC concerns partially addressed in ALPR proposed substitute bill

January 23, 2026

Thank you to everyone who sent feedback or testified on the bills seeking to regulate automated license plate readers (ALPRs) (SB 6002/HB 2332). A proposed substitute version of SB 6002 was voted out of committee on January 22 that addressed many, but not all, of AWC’s concerns.

Impactful changes adopted in the proposed substitute include the following:

• Data may be retained for 21 days.
• All ALPR data access and sharing logs must be retained for five years.
• ALPR-collected data must be the legal property of the agency that operates the ALPR system.
• Agencies must publish policies to their public website and submit the link to the Attorney General’s Office.

While AWC is enthusiastic about the amendments made, we still hold concerns regarding the exclusion of ALPR use in misdemeanor cases. The lack of law enforcement utilization in solving misdemeanor crimes remains a public safety concern. We will continue to work with AWC members and the bill sponsors to address this issue.

Please continue to share feedback with us and your local legislators, specifically on the positive impact of ALPRs on solving misdemeanor crimes.

Automated license plate readers bills scheduled for hearings

January 16, 2026

Senate and House policy committees are scheduled to hear bills on regulating automated license plate readers (ALPRs) this week. SB 6002 and HB 2332 are scheduled for public hearings on Tuesday, January 20, in the Senate Law & Justice Committee at 8 am and the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee at 10:30 am.

AWC urges cities that have been using this tool to share how important it is for public safety and solving crimes with your local legislators and through public comment during the committee hearings.

Areas of importance to emphasize for their understanding are:

• The use of the technology in solving and prosecuting misdemeanors;
• How the technology works and what protections and policies are in place;
• What data is gathered;
• How that data is used;
• The importance of longer data retention timelines; and
• Why record retention beyond the closure of a criminal or civil court case could be necessary.

As this issue has been a hot topic across the state for several months, we expect there to be a lot of public comment on these bills. If you plan to testify in committee, please be prepared to keep your comments under a minute in case it’s necessary. If comments are limited to a minute or less, priority areas of focus are:

• The community safety benefits seen in your city;
• The use of the technology in solving and prosecuting misdemeanors; and/or
• The importance of longer data retention timelines.

Dates to remember

SB 6002 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Tuesday, January 20, at 8 am.

HB 2332 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, January 20, at 10:30 am.

SB 6002 is scheduled for executive session in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Thursday, January 22, at 10:30 am.

Bills regulating automated license plate readers introduced

January 9, 2026

Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) are a relatively new and very effective public safety tool. Law enforcement departments around the country are using this new technology to solve crime, recover stolen vehicles, and find missing people. Police in Washington report the same type of success. However, concerns have been raised about the public records implications and access of these systems. In particular, concerns have surfaced over whether federal immigration enforcement agencies are able to access Washington law enforcement agency data in violation of the Keep Washington Working Act provisions.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D–Tacoma) introduced SB 6002 after engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including AWC, to develop legislation to regulate the use of ALPRs. The companion bill, HB 2332, is sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D–Redmond).

AWC focused on the following principles when providing feedback on what any legislation should address:

• Exempt ALPR data (plate numbers and vehicle images) from disclosure via the Public Records Act. Without this exemption, there is no way to ensure that this information is protected from being shared with immigration enforcement agencies and other parties that would use it for surveillance and stalking.
• Preserve use of this technology for legitimate public safety purposes. It has proven very effective in assisting police in solving crimes and finding missing people.
• Establish reasonable regulations that will ensure public trust in the technology and ensure that it isn’t used in a manner that violates Washington state law.

While AWC appreciates the sponsor seeking our feedback, we remain deeply concerned about key parts of the bill as introduced and will remain engaged in these conversations.

SB 6002 proposed major regulations to the use of ALPRs that establish operational usage restrictions, set strict retention timelines, require development of policies, and impose self and state audits. The bill also outlines violations, penalties, and remedies.

Authorization & usage

The bill authorizes law enforcement agencies to use ALPR-gathered data for purposes of comparison against the following:

• Federal and state watch lists maintained by the Department of Licensing, the state criminal justice information system, the FBI kidnappings and missing persons list, and Washington state missing persons lists.
• Manually entered license plate numbers in the ALPR system for investigations of a vehicle that has been determined to be stolen, associated with a missing or endangered person, involved in or related to a felony, or registered to an individual with an outstanding felony warrant. Notably, ALPR systems could not be used for investigations of misdemeanor crimes.

Parking enforcement agencies are authorized to use ALPR data for enforcing parking time restrictions and identifying vehicles on impoundment or immobilization watch lists in accordance with local ordinances. Transportation agencies may utilize ALPR data for public real-time traffic information, traffic modeling and studies, and enforcement of commercial vehicle systems.

Any positive match made by the ALPR is not considered grounds for reasonable suspicion and requires law enforcement to independently verify the license plate number and possible grounds for reasonable suspicion visually.

The bill makes it illegal to use ALPR-gathered data for immigration investigations or enforcement purposes or for tracking or monitoring constitutionally protected activities. It would also be illegal to gather ALPR data on or surrounding premises of immigration or protected health care services, schools, food banks, courts, or places of worship.

For authorization of ALPR use, local agencies are required to register the system with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) within 180 days of the bill’s effective date.

Data is not subject to the Public Records Act, and gathered data may not be disclosed or shared with other entities except for judicial proceedings or other AGO-authorized state agencies. Agencies are not allowed to make ALPR data or audit data available for purchase, sale, lease, or rent. Additionally, any agency that compares the data to a watch list must ensure the watch list is updated at least once every 24 hours.

Any information gathered in an unauthorized manner is inadmissible in court except in instances where the impacted person gives permission in pursuit of private right of action.

Retention

The bill enacts a strict timeline. Data gathered cannot be retained for longer than 72 hours except in the following circumstances:

• Data pursuant to a valid, court-issued, felony warrant or subpoena must be deleted at the end of the criminal or civil case.
• Parking enforcement data must be deleted no later than 12 hours after collection.
• Toll data may be retained for as long as needed to support collection of tolls.
• Traffic studies data must be deleted no later than 30 days after collection.
• Commercial vehicle enforcement data must be deleted no later than 4 hours after collection.
• Data collected may be retained as long as needed if being used as evidence of a crime pertaining to the outlined authorized usage of law enforcement.

Policy development requirements

Detailed recordkeeping is a requirement under the bill. Any time ALPR data is accessed or access is provided to an authorized entity the following information is to be logged:

• Date and time accessed;
• Elements used in data search;
• Username and organization or entity of the person that accessed data; and
• Purpose of access.

The AGO is mandated to develop and make available model policies by July 1, 2027. Agencies using ALPRs must adopt governing policies and submit copies to the AGO by December 1, 2027. If policies are not aligned with the AGO model policy, an explanation for the reason for departure must also be provided. Any modifications to policies made after December 1, 2026, must be submitted to the AGO within 60 days.

Annual reports are also required for all entities that use ALPRs. Reports must be submitted to the Legislature and made publicly available on the agency's website.

Audits

Agencies are required to maintain records of data access activity, or “audit trail data,” and must keep that information for two years. The state auditor may request the audit trail data to assess compliance. Once an audit is complete, the AGO may issue noncompliance findings, make remedy recommendations, and take corrective action.

Violations & penalties

Violations and penalties covered under the bill are subject to the Consumer Protections Act, criminal penalties, and private right of action. Criminal penalties could result in a gross misdemeanor.

As mentioned above, AWC has deep concerns about the bill. Specific concerns include:

• The short retention timeline of 72 hours;
• The exclusion of ALPR use for investigation and prosecution of gross misdemeanors; and
• The fact that civil remedies do not include payment of costs and attorney fees if the court rules in favor of the defendant in the case.

We encourage cities that have been using this tool to share how important it is for public safety and solving crimes with your local legislators. Areas of importance to emphasize for their understanding are:

• The use of the technology in solving and prosecuting misdemeanors;
• How the technology works and what protections and policies are in place;
• What data is gathered; and
• How that data is used.

The bill has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, but we anticipate that it will be soon. It is important that legislators hear from city leaders about the value of these tools and how this proposal helps and hurts the ability to use this technology to solve crimes.