news3lv.com · September 4, 2026
Nevada lawmaker plans to bring bill to ban license plate readers
# Nevada lawmaker plans to bring bill to ban license plate readers
by Cristen Drummond
Fri, September 4, 2026 at 8:10 PM
6 VIEW ALL PHOTOS
A Nevada lawmaker plans to introduce legislation next year that would ban Flock Safety cameras and other automated license plate readers statewide, setting up a debate over privacy, public safety and government surveillance. (KSNV)
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A Nevada lawmaker plans to introduce legislation next year that would ban Flock Safety cameras and other automated license plate readers statewide, setting up a debate over privacy, public safety and government surveillance.
Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch, D-Reno, announced her plans this week, calling the issue a constitutional one rather than a partisan one on social media.
The proposed ban comes as law enforcement agencies across Southern Nevada rely on automated license plate readers to help investigate crimes and locate vehicles connected to suspects, stolen cars and missing people.
The cameras capture images of passing vehicles and license plates, along with other information about the vehicle. A Flock Safety spokesperson said the system can identify vehicle characteristics such as make, model, color, vehicle type and certain aftermarket features when speaking with News 3 earlier this year.
A company spokesperson said its license plate reader technology served nearly 6,000 law enforcement agencies in 49 states as of January.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police started using Flock cameras in 2019. Sgt. Stephanie Ward said license plate readers helped investigators in cases ranging from shootings to vehicle-related crimes, during a sit-down interview with News 3 in January 2026.
In one Las Vegas investigation, a vehicle detected by a license plate reader helped investigators track a suspected gunman after a deadly shooting during an illegal street takeover. The technology was also utilized to track the movement of the Cybertruck involved in the 2025 New Year’s Day explosion in the valet area of the Trump International Hoel.
Ward described the technology as “an absolute wonderful investigative tool.”
North Las Vegas police also rely on license plate readers. Chief Jaqueline Gravatt said grant funding helped the agency build out its system while speaking with News 3 during a January 2026 sit-down interview.
La Rue Hatch’s proposal comes as the ACLU of Nevada pushes for a much broader restriction.
Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada, said the organization plans to support Hatch’s bill and organize during the legislative session. He argued the growing network of cameras allows the government to track where people travel, including visits to medical appointments, protests and houses of worship.
“Government should not know where you are at all times of the day, every single road you're on at every moment of the day,” Haseebullah said. “It's creepy and it's problematic and needs to stop."
Haseebullah also argued that safeguards cannot adequately address the risks of government surveillance and points to concerns over transparency and potential misuse.
“We don't know the full extent of how dangerous this tracking mechanism has become on law enforcement's end.” Haseebullah said.
The ACLU said it is investigating possible misuse by law enforcement agencies in the Las Vegas valley but did not provide details. Haseebullah said the organization expects to release more information within the next 30 to 45 days.
An Instagram Live is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. on the ACLU of Nevada’s page with La Rue Hatch.
News 3 reached out to Henderson, Metro and North Las Vegas Police on Friday. A Henderson spokesperson said the office is closed on Friday but will follow up with the team on Tuesday. No official response from Metro or North Las Vegas.
News 3 also attempted to contact Governor Joe Lombardo’s office and the Ford for Nevada campaign about La Rue Hatch’s plan to bring a bill to ban the technology but did not receive a response.