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H.R. 10900House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act

To require States and units of local government that receive funds under the Byrne grant program or the COPS grant program to submit a report to the Attorney General related to the use of automated license plate readers by State and local law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Emilia Strong SykesRep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH)
Introduced October 22, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 27, 2026 at 5:21 AM UTC

The Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act would require any state or local government that receives federal Byrne or COPS grant money to report to the Attorney General any misuse of automated license‑plate readers (ALPR) by their police officers. The bill adds penalties that cut a portion of future grant funding if the reports are not filed or if agencies do not discipline officers who misuse the technology, and it makes the reports publicly available.

Key Provisions

  • States and localities must submit an annual report to the Attorney General detailing any illegal ALPR access, any convictions involving ALPR, and any disciplinary actions taken against officers.
  • If a jurisdiction fails to file the required report, its next‑year Byrne and COPS grant funding is reduced by 15 percent.
  • If a jurisdiction does not impose corrective measures on officers identified in the report, its next‑year grant funding is reduced by 10 percent.
  • The Department of Justice Inspector General is authorized to audit grant recipients to verify that corrective actions have been taken.
  • All reports submitted under the bill must be posted online for public access.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 22, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 22, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 22, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 22, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10900

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 22, 2026

Mrs. Sykes introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require States and units of local government that receive funds under the Byrne grant program or the COPS grant program to submit a report to the Attorney General related to the use of automated license plate readers by State and local law enforcement officers, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Law Enforcement Accountability for Plate Reader Abuse Act.

2.

Limitation on Byrne grant program or the COPS grant program related to automated license plate readers

(a)

In general

Beginning in the first fiscal year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act, a State or unit of local government that receives funds under the Byrne grant program or the COPS grant program during a fiscal year shall submit to the Attorney General a report on the following:

(1)

Any incident during which a State or local law enforcement officer accessed information obtained using an automated license plate reader in a manner that violated the law of the State or unit of local government or the policy of the applicable law enforcement agency.

(2)

Any conviction of a State or local law enforcement officer of a covered offense that involved the use of an automated license plate reader.

(3)

Whether the State or local law enforcement agency imposed any corrective measure (which may include suspension or termination of employment) on each law enforcement officer described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(b)

Failure To comply

If a State or unit of local government fails to comply with the requirement under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Attorney General shall reduce by 15 percent the amount that the State or unit of local government would otherwise receive under each of the Byrne grant program and the COPS grant program for the following fiscal year.

(c)

Failure To correct

If a State or unit of local government fails to impose a corrective measure on a State or local law enforcement officer described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) during a fiscal year, the Attorney General shall reduce by 10 percent the amount that the State or unit of local government would otherwise receive under each of the Byrne grant program and the COPS grant program for the following fiscal year.

(d)

Audit authority

In order to be eligible for a grant under the Byrne grant program or the COPS grant program, a State or unit of local government shall permit the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to conduct audits as the Inspector General determines appropriate to determine whether a State or local law enforcement agency has imposed corrective measures described in subsection (a)(3).

(e)

Publication

The Attorney General shall make the reports received under subsection (a) publicly available online.

(f)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Byrne grant program

The term Byrne grant program means any grant program under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151 et seq.), without regard to whether the funds are characterized as being made available under the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Programs, the Local Government Law Enforcement Block Grants Program, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, or otherwise.

(2)

Cops grant program

The term COPS grant program means the grant program authorized under section 1701 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10381).

(3)

Covered offense

The term covered offense means an offense that involves stalking, cyberstalking, harassment, threats, assault, battery, strangulation, sexual assault, rape, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, destruction of property, child abuse, child neglect, witness intimidation, identity theft, hacking, unlawful tracking, online threats, nonconsensual intimate image sharing, extortion, violation of a protective order, or the unlawful use of a firearm.