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Committee approves ALPR bill adding privacy, retention and transparency rules
Summary
The committee passed a second substitute for HB 468 that establishes statewide guardrails for automatic license-plate-reader systems, including encryption, training, reduced retention for most data to 90 days, and reporting requirements to the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Commission.
Representative Chevrier presented second substitute House Bill 468, which sponsors and the Utah Office of Data Privacy characterized as a compromise balancing law enforcement utility and privacy safeguards for automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems.
Christopher Bramwell, chief privacy officer, Utah Office of Data Privacy, told the committee the bill clarifies permitted uses of ALPR systems, narrows retention periods (the bill shortens a previous retention period to a presumptive 90 days for general law-enforcement use, with tailored exceptions for specific functions such as tolling), requires encryption of ALPR data, mandates training for employees who use ALPR systems, and imposes transparency and reporting obligations to the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Commission so the legislature can be informed of concentrated camera deployments that may amount to tracking.
Representatives of law enforcement and transportation testified in support with technical caveats. Colonel Rapich of the Utah Highway Patrol and a Department of Public Safety deputy commissioner said the Department supports the bill’s direction and has continued conversations with chiefs and sheriffs about statutory references and operational compatibility with investigative requirements. UDOT urged the committee to retain flexibility for very short-term retention where necessary for tolling or transient transactions and said the bill provides that flexibility while shortening general retention. The Utah Chiefs of Police Association said the bill was the result of extended collaboration and urged favorable passage.
Representative Thurston moved to adopt the second substitute and then moved that the committee favorably recommend the substitute. The committee adopted the second substitute and then voted to pass the bill out favorably; the chair ruled motions passed.
