Rep. Thomas Massie proposes bill to strip federal funds from cities using Flock cameras

On July 25, 2026 Representative Thomas Massie (R‑KY) announced he will sponsor legislation that would withhold federal money from any municipality or police department that installs Flock‑style automated license‑plate readers or comparable surveillance cameras.

The proposal targets Flock Safety, an Atlanta company whose cameras capture a vehicle’s license plate and detailed “fingerprint” data and is contracted by roughly 6,000 U.S. communities. It follows recent Republican efforts by Rep. Tim Burchett and Rep. Scott Perry to restrict federal use of such technology and builds on earlier legislation co‑sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert that would require warrants for surveillance and ban warrantless facial‑recognition.