Michigan Lawmakers Propose Bipartisan Bill to Regulate Police License Plate Cameras

The proposed legislation aims to address privacy concerns and data-sharing practices around automatic license plate readers used by law enforcement.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Bipartisan bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature would create statewide regulations on how license plate reader data is used by law enforcement agencies. The technology has drawn criticism from privacy advocates, though law enforcement agencies defend its use as a crime-fighting tool. The proposed legislation would restrict data retention to 14 days and limit the use of license plate readers to specific law enforcement actions.

Why it matters

With no statewide policy currently in place, decisions on the use of license plate readers have fallen to local law enforcement agencies and municipal governments, leading to growing public concern over privacy and data-sharing issues. The proposed bipartisan bills aim to establish clear limits on how this data is collected, stored, and shared, ensuring the technology is used to improve public safety rather than enable routine mass surveillance.

The details

The proposed legislation would create statewide regulations on the use of automatic license plate readers by law enforcement, including a 14-day limit on data retention and restrictions on how the data can be used, such as finding missing people, locating stolen vehicles, and identifying uninsured or unregistered vehicles. The bills would also require publicly available reports from agencies using the readers on how the data is utilized and offer a path for legal recourse if a driver believes their data was used improperly.

  • In 2022, Waterford Township began using license plate readers, leading to a 24-year-old man smashing several of the devices.
  • The bipartisan bills are currently pending in the Michigan House Judiciary Committee and would need to earn majority support in the politically divided House and Senate to become law.

The players

Doug Wozniak

Republican state Representative from Shelby Township and co-sponsor of the bipartisan bills.

Jimmie Wilson

Democratic state Representative from Ypsilanti and co-sponsor of the bipartisan bills.

Scott Underwood

Sheriff of Waterford Township, where license plate readers have been used since 2022.

Matt Saxton

Executive director of the Michigan Sheriff's Association, who is concerned the proposed regulations could weaken the effectiveness of license plate readers as an investigative tool.

Gabrielle Dresner

Policy strategist at the ACLU of Michigan, who worked closely with lawmakers on crafting the proposed legislation.

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What they’re saying

“Michiganders deserve to know that new technology is being used responsibly, not in ways that invade privacy or erode public confidence.”

— Doug Wozniak, Republican state Representative (bridgemi.com)

“This legislation creates clear limits on how … data is collected, stored and shared, ensuring these tools are used to improve public safety, not to enable routine mass surveillance.”

— Jimmie Wilson, Democratic state Representative (bridgemi.com)

“We're not against any regulations — we just don't want it to weaken what a good investigative tool the license plate readers are.”

— Matt Saxton, Executive director of the Michigan Sheriff's Association (bridgemi.com)

What’s next

The proposed legislation is currently pending in the Michigan House Judiciary Committee and would need to earn majority support in the politically divided House and Senate to become law.

The takeaway

The debate over the use of automatic license plate readers by law enforcement highlights the ongoing tension between public safety and privacy concerns. The bipartisan bills aim to strike a balance, regulating the technology to protect civil liberties while still allowing it to be used as an effective investigative tool by police.