Progressives unveil Ban Flock Act to halt federal license plate reader funding
Senators Bernie Sanders and Jeff Merkley, alongside Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, introduced the Ban Flock Act on October 2, 2026. The legislation seeks to prohibit federal agencies from using automated license plate readers and blocks federal grants to local governments that deploy the technology. The bill responds to growing public backlash over privacy violations and misuse of Flock Safety’s surveillance network, which operates in over 5,000 communities. While progressives frame the measure as a necessary check on corporate surveillance power, critics argue that banning the technology ignores its utility in solving crimes, such as recent child abductions and mass shootings.
