Rep. Jay Edwards (D, Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth)

In a bipartisan effort, House Majority Whip John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Portsmouth, Tiverton) has worked with House Minority Whip Blake A. Filippi (R-Dist. 36) to introduce legislation that would prohibit surveillance on Rhode Island’s roadways unless specifically authorized by statute or court order.

Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) capture computer-readable images of license plates. The systems, he said in a press release, have raised concerns that the information collected “may be inaccurate, shared without restrictions, retained longer than necessary, and used or abused in ways that could infringe upon citizens’ privacy.”

Whip Edwards’ legislation (2017-H 5989) would not only prohibit unauthorized use of the devices, but also provide for the confidentiality of information collected or stored.

“Rhode Island residents are entitled to their privacy,” Rep. Edwards said. “This measure would not stop our law enforcement officers from tracking down those who engage in criminal activity. It also does nothing to inhibit the state from operating toll booths. What it does is protect our citizens’ private information obtained through global positioning satellites, EZ-Passes and transponders, radio frequency identification devices and automated license plate recognition systems, from a public search. In a world where we have to worry about things like identity theft and hackers, it’s necessary to have these safeguards.”