March 16, 2010 - 1:00am

As early as tomorrow, the whole Maine legislature could vote on LD 1561, the surveillance bill we've been working on.  To read more about the bill, check out my blog post from a few weeks ago by clicking here. 

MCLU Public Policy Counsel Alysia Melnick and MCLU Executive Director Shenna Bellows have been working hard in the legislature to protect our privacy. Their hard work, and your calls and emails have convinced the Transportation Committee to put limits on the use of ALPRs.  Earlier this evening we sent out an action alert to our members. You can read the alert at the end of this blog.  I hope you'll take a moment to do one QUICK action - visit our webpage where you can send a quick email to your legislators. This small action will go a long way in securing a vote that supports privacy. 

To regularly receive our action alerts, sign up here.

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Last month, we emailed you information about South Portland's new surveillance technology. Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) scan and store the license plates of any car that an equipped police cruiser encounters - on the highway, in a parking lot, or in a neighborhood.  The scanner then checks the plate against databases, watch-lists, and the identity and location of the scan is stored in a police database.

The good news is that, thanks to your efforts, we have been successful in convincing the legislature's Transportation Committee that limits should be placed on the use of ALPRs.

ALPRs undermine our Fourth Amendment right to privacy and are susceptible to abuse.  We must have limits now.

WHAT LD 1561 DOES:
  • Limits who may be placed on camera tracking or "hot" lists;
  • Limits the time law enforcement may retain data on innocent persons to 21 days;
  • Limits access to this personal information to approved members of law enforcement;
  • Creates a class E crime for anyone (inside or outside law enforcement) that breaches or misuses the data; and 
  • Creates a stakeholder group to explore any necessary changes to the law.  
 

Please take a moment to do this important action.

 
Thanks for all that you do,
Alysia, Brianna, Claire, Edward, Katy, Shenna, Zach

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