hb1011_00

As Introduced

136th General Assembly

Regular Session H. B. No. 1011

2025-2026

To enact sections 5507.01, 5507.02, and 5507.03 of the Revised Code to limit the use of automated license plate recognition systems and mass surveillance technology for one year, to repeal sections 5507.01, 5507.02, and 5507.03 of the Revised Code one year after the effective date, to abolish the General Assembly limitations governing such systems and technology at that time, and to name this act the 1984 No More Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 5507.01, 5507.02, and 5507.03 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 5507.01. As used in this chapter:

(A) "Automated license plate recognition system" means a system of one or more mobile or fixed high-speed cameras, sensors, or devices, combined with computer algorithms, that is capable of converting images of license plates, vehicle location, or other vehicle identification markers into computer-readable data.

(B) "Captured surveillance data" means the data and resulting metadata that is captured by, derived from, generated by, or inferred from an automated license plate recognition system or mass surveillance technology, including any images, photographs, videos, location information, or other forms of observation recording.

(C) "Government entity" means a state agency, public institution, political subdivision, or any other organized body, office, agency, institution, or entity established by the laws of this state for the exercise of any function of government.

(D) "Law enforcement agency" means a government entity that employs peace officers to perform law enforcement duties.

(E) "Mass surveillance technology" means any technology or device designed primarily to monitor, record, capture, or analyze the movements, activities, associations, or identifying characteristics of an individual in public spaces, including cameras, sensors, biometric identification systems, facial recognition systems, and gait recognition systems.

"Mass surveillance technology" does not include a camera that is used solely for monitoring a specific and defined area for immediate security purposes provided the camera is not integrated with an identification or recognition database or analytics system.

(F) "Peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 109.71 of the Revised Code and also includes the superintendent and troopers of the state highway patrol.

(G) "Private person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, unincorporated association, limited liability company, two or more of any of the foregoing having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity.

"Private person" does not mean an individual who is employed by or contracted with a government entity while the individual is acting in an official capacity on behalf of a government entity.

Sec. 5507.02. (A) The individual right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, against unreasonable searches and seizures is a fundamental individual right that predates the United States Constitution and Ohio Constitution. As such, the regulation of automated license plate recognition systems, mass surveillance technology, and the captured surveillance data that is generated by those systems and technology is a matter of general statewide concern that requires statewide regulations. Accordingly, except as otherwise authorized in the Revised Code, it is the intent of the general assembly to create uniform laws that are applicable throughout the state through Chapter 5507. of the Revised Code. No political subdivision may enact, adopt, renew, maintain, enforce, or continue in existence any charter provision, ordinance, resolution, rule or other measure that conflicts with or preempts any policy of the state regarding the regulation of automated license plate recognition systems, mass surveillance technology, and captured surveillance data.

(B) The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed so as to further the purpose of protecting the public from intrusive government surveillance and prevail over any less restrictive state or local laws or regulations. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize automated license plate recognition systems or mass surveillance technology where they are otherwise prohibited by the other laws or regulations.

Sec. 5507.03. (A) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, no private person shall knowingly access, collect, use, sell, transfer, or share any captured surveillance data.

(B) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, no government entity shall knowingly access, collect, use, sell, transfer, or share any captured surveillance data.

(1) A law enforcement agency or peace officer accessing, collecting, using, transferring, or sharing captured surveillance data for the following purposes:

(a) To aid in the identification and location of children under the statewide emergency alert program created under section 5502.52 of the Revised Code, also known as the AMBER alert program;

(b) To aid in the identification and location of any individual who has a mental impairment, has autism spectrum disorder or another developmental disability, or is sixty-five years of age or older under the statewide emergency alert program created under section 5502.522 of the Revised Code;

(d) To aid in the escaped convict alert program created under section 5502.54 of the Revised Code;

(e) To aid the immigration and customs enforcement section of the United States department of homeland security in the identification and location of any individual who does not have legal presence in the United States.

(2) The Ohio turnpike and infrastructure commission or other toll project operator, as defined in section 5531.11 of the Revised Code, operating a camera for toll collection on a turnpike project, toll road, or toll bridge and any captured surveillance data that originates from the camera if all of the following apply:

(a) The camera and captured surveillance data are used solely for the purpose of billing users of that toll road or toll bridge by an electronic toll collection system or other similar means.

(b) The camera and captured surveillance data comply with the provisions specified in section 5531.148 or 5537.29 of the Revised Code, as applicable.

(c) The camera and captured surveillance data are not integrated with a law enforcement agency database or accessible to law enforcement without a warrant.

(3) Traffic law photo-monitoring devices that are operated in accordance with Chapter 4511. of the Revised Code or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

(D) No peace officer shall knowingly access, collect, use, transfer, or share any captured surveillance data beyond the scope of the peace officer's duties or the purposes specified under division (C)(1) of this section.

Section 2. That sections 5507.01, 5507.02, and 5507.03 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed, effective one year after the effective date of this section.

Section 3. This act shall be known as the 1984 No More Act.