Missouri Governor Establishes New Standards for Automated License Plate Readers, Bans Facial Recognition
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has issued an executive order establishing new statewide standards for automated license plate readers like Flock cameras, mandating data deletion within 30 days and prohibiting the use of AI facial recognition. Following this, Missouri lawmakers anticipate…
Kansas City, MO, September 16, 2026 —
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has implemented new statewide standards governing the use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs), including those operated by entities such as Flock cameras. The executive order mandates a strict data retention policy, requiring that any collected data be deleted within 30 days.
Furthermore, the order explicitly prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) facial recognition technology in conjunction with these ALPR systems. This move aims to address growing concerns regarding citizen privacy and the potential for increased surveillance.
The executive order sets forth immediate guidelines for ALPR usage across the state. The requirement for data deletion within 30 days is intended to limit the amount of time sensitive information is stored. The prohibition of AI facial recognition technology marks a significant stance against the integration of advanced biometric analysis with ALPR data, a feature that has raised privacy alarms in other jurisdictions.
Following the Governor’s executive order, Missouri lawmakers are preparing for what is expected to be substantial legislative activity. The focus will be on developing a permanent, comprehensive legal framework to regulate ALPR systems and similar technologies. This future legislation is anticipated to navigate the complex balance between leveraging these tools for public safety initiatives and safeguarding the privacy rights of citizens.
The specific details regarding the scope of the legislative work, the timeline for proposed bills, or any potential committees formed to address this issue were not provided. The contractor names or specific agencies currently employing these ALPR systems were also not detailed within the executive order’s immediate public announcement.
The executive order comes at a time when the deployment and capabilities of ALPR technology are under scrutiny nationwide. By establishing these initial standards, Governor Kehoe’s administration is taking a proactive step to define acceptable uses and limitations for these powerful surveillance tools within Missouri.
Story summarized from the original created by Hannah Falcon on www.kctv5.com, see more information here.
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