The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio restricts automated license plate readers and surveillance data retention
Last action · September 30, 2026: Referred to Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public SafetySponsor: Al Cutrona
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What This Bill Would Do
Government entities in Ohio are prohibited from retaining automated license plate recognition data and mass surveillance data for more than ten days, and must permanently delete it by day eleven. The bill establishes new civil causes of action, fourth-degree felony penalties for illegal data sharing, and strict operational boundaries near places of worship and firearms retailers.
The measure alters data privacy rights and operational compliance costs for state and local law enforcement agencies, while granting individuals the right to sue for unauthorized data sharing or proximity monitoring.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
government entities
Government agencies and law enforcement must comply with strict 10-day data deletion limits, ban camera placement near places of worship and gun stores, conduct monthly internal audits, and submit annual reports.
private persons
Individuals gain the right to file civil lawsuits, seek injunctions, and recover damages against entities that unlawfully collect, retain, or share their surveillance data.
firearms retailers
Gun stores are protected by a 500-foot buffer zone preventing government entities from operating automated license plate recognition systems or mass surveillance technology nearby.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can government entities keep license plate reader data?
Are police allowed to share license plate data with other agencies?
What areas are off-limits for automated license plate recognition systems and mass surveillance technology?
What are the penalties for violating these surveillance rules?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Sep 30, 2026SenateCommitteeReferred to Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety
- Sep 14, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Exclusion of Surveillance Data from Public Records
The bill explicitly carves out automated license plate reader images and mass surveillance data from the definition of a public record under R.C. 149.43.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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