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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of automatic license plate readers by a law |
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enforcement agency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 750, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 750.004 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 750.004. AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER. (a) In this |
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section, "automatic license plate reader" means a system that reads |
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and records license plate numbers taken from digital photographs. |
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(b) A law enforcement agency may use an automatic license |
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plate reader only as authorized by a warrant or court order. |
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(c) Images and any related data produced from an automatic |
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license plate reader used by a law enforcement agency may be used |
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only for the purpose of investigating a criminal offense that is a |
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violent offense as defined in Article 17.50(a)(3), Code of Criminal |
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Procedure. |
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(d) Images and any related data produced from an automatic |
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license plate reader used by a law enforcement agency must be |
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destroyed promptly after collection unless the image or data is |
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from a motor vehicle that: |
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(1) is involved in a criminal offense described by |
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Subsection (c) or an ongoing criminal investigation of such an |
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offense; or |
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(2) is registered to a person who is involved in a |
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criminal offense described by Subsection (c) or an ongoing criminal |
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investigation of such an offense. |
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(e) A law enforcement agency may not enter into an agreement |
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with a person to provide images or any related data produced from an |
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automatic license plate reader to the person except for a purpose |
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otherwise authorized by this section. |
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(f) A law enforcement agency that uses an automatic license |
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plate reader in accordance with this section shall: |
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(1) adopt a policy regarding the agency's use of |
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automatic license plate readers; |
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(2) annually compile a report regarding the agency's |
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use of automatic license plate readers, including: |
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(A) the number of license plates scanned by the |
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agency; and |
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(B) the number of license plate scans that the |
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agency used in an investigation that led to the arrest or |
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prosecution of a person; and |
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(3) annually publish the policy described by |
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Subdivision (1) and the report described by Subdivision (2) on the |
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agency's publicly accessible Internet website. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |