Why We Oppose Mass ALPR Surveillance
8 arguments, each backed by documented incidents and legal precedent, written so you can read one into the record at a Snohomish County council meeting. Washington's own ALPR statute is broken down at the bottom of the page.
ESSB 6002: the Driver Privacy Act
Washington’s ALPR law prohibits immigration enforcement and tracking protected activity, sets a 21-day default retention period with exceptions, and requires a warrant for privately held ALPR data. Agencies must register systems, retain access logs for two years, and run annual audits. A camera match alone is insufficient for a stop, although the law permits a specified visual and database confirmation process. These restrictions leave routine plate scanning in place. ALPR data is exempt from public records disclosure; contracts, policies and segregable audit trails remain tools for oversight. Councils can still reject renewals and end their contracts. Signed by Governor Bob Ferguson on March 30, 2026 with an emergency clause, so it took effect immediately.
What it restrains
Prohibited uses and locations
ALPR use for immigration enforcement, protected health care or constitutionally protected activity is prohibited. Collection is also barred on the premises, immediate surroundings, or access to protected health care and immigration facilities, schools, places of worship, courts and food banks. The law defines the covered facilities and adjacent parking areas.
21-day default, with retention exceptions
The law allows longer retention under qualifying warrants, subpoenas and court orders, and for evidence of specified unlawful conduct. Parking data can remain until 12 hours after final case disposition, including appeals. Traffic-study data can remain for 30 days and commercial-vehicle enforcement data for six months. These exceptions permit retention beyond three weeks.
A match alone is insufficient for a stop
An officer must develop independent reasonable suspicion or immediately confirm that the physical plate matches its image and confirm by other means that the plate is in an authorized database.
Restricted sharing and private-data warrants
The law prohibits agency sales, rentals, leases and purchases of ALPR or audit data. Disclosure is restricted, but authorized state and local agencies can retain direct system access. Vendors may access systems for a specific agency-authorized purpose. Obtaining privately held ALPR data requires a valid court-issued probable-cause warrant.
Registration and two-year audit trails
Agencies must register systems and certify compliance, policies and training. They must retain audit trails for two years, obtain vendor-maintained logs, and perform annual internal audits. Logs cover searches, access, exports, downloads and sharing. Query identifiers must be partially redacted on public disclosure. The Attorney General publishes agency certifications without independently checking compliance.
Criminal penalties and civil remedies
Willful violations are gross misdemeanors. Injured parties can seek damages, injunctions and attorney fees. The evidence-exclusion rule specifically covers knowing violations of RCW 10.130.030, with an exception for the harmed person’s permission in the specified damages action.
The catch
ALPR data removed from public disclosure
RCW 10.130.050 exempts ALPR data from the Public Records Act, with limited use for non-identifying bona fide research. That exemption restricts scrutiny of the scans themselves. Contracts, policies and segregable audit records remain avenues for oversight. Earlier records disputes require their own case history. Stanwood published settlement terms in 2026.
Deadlines to watch
- RCW 10.130.030 set a 180-day registration window after March 30, 2026 for the systems covered by that provision. That interval ended September 26. Registration is required before use. The Attorney General’s list updates periodically, so a missing row leaves registration status unverified.
- After December 1, 2026, agencies must notify the Attorney General of policy changes or repeal within 60 days and provide the relevant policies.
- By July 1, 2027, the Attorney General must publish model ALPR policies.
- By December 1, 2027, agencies must submit their policies or explain departures from the model and submit and publish annual reports. Adopted policies must be posted on agency websites.
- By December 31, 2027, the Attorney General must publish its report on these requirements, including the model policies.
Stanwood's posted Rodriguez settlement agreement provides $80,000 total, $40,000 per city, for the Stanwood and Sedro-Woolley records dispute. It denies liability and conditions dismissal on payment. The posted copy is partially signed; it does not by itself establish completed payment or dismissal.
Sources: current chapter 10.130 RCW, the legislature bill page and the Attorney General's registration list.
Now Put It in Front of Your Council
An argument only counts when a resident of that city says it on the record. Check where your city stands, then bring one of these to the next meeting.