Bipartisan 'Flock-Off Act' Introduced to Prohibit Federal Funding for Surveillance Cameras
U.S. Representatives Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have introduced the 'Flock-Off Act' (H.R. 10221), a bipartisan bill aimed at restricting federal funding for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and biometric surveillance cameras. The proposed legislation seeks to prevent federal agencies and recipients of federal funding, including state, local, and tribal governments, from using federal money to purchase, install, operate, or upgrade these surveillance systems. This prohibition would also extend to related contracts, subscriptions, cloud storage, and data-sharing agreements. The bill mandates that federally funded camera systems must be removed or shut down within 180 days of the act becoming law. Exceptions are made for cameras used for border security within one mile of the U.S. borders and for toll collection, provided the data is used solely for those purposes. The initiative stems from concerns that the rapid advancement of surveillance technology, such as those provided by co...