Senator Daniel McCay proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
PUBLIC SURVEILLANCE AMENDMENTS

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Daniel McCay

5     
House Sponsor: Ryan D. Wilcox

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies provisions related to government surveillance.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     allows a law enforcement agency to use license plate reading technology gathered
14     by a private entity in certain circumstances;
15          ▸     allows the Department of Transportation to issue a permit for the use of license
16     plate reading technology on a state highway in certain circumstances;
17          ▸     requires a law enforcement agency participating in a license plate reading
18     technology program to publicly post policies related to license plate reading
19     technology and special use permits the law enforcement agency has received;
20          ▸     defines parameters for the collection and retention of information for investigative
21     searches and for audit purposes gathered through license plate reading technology
22     by a law enforcement agency; and
23          ▸     makes technical changes.
24     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
25          None

26     Other Special Clauses:
27          None
28     Utah Code Sections Affected:
29     AMENDS:
30          41-6a-2002, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 365
31          41-6a-2003, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapter 82
32          41-6a-2004, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 269
33          41-6a-2005, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 276
34          41-6a-2006, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 447
35          72-1-212, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 267
36     

37     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
38          Section 1. Section 41-6a-2002 is amended to read:
39          41-6a-2002. Definitions.
40          As used in this [section] chapter:
41          (1) "Automatic license plate reader system" means a system of one or more mobile or
42     fixed automated high-speed cameras used in combination with computer algorithms to convert
43     an image of a license plate into computer-readable data.
44          (2) "Captured plate data" means the global positioning system coordinates, date and
45     time, photograph, license plate number, and any other data captured by or derived from an
46     automatic license plate reader system.
47          (3) (a) "Governmental entity" means:
48          (i) executive department agencies of the state;
49          (ii) the offices of the governor, the lieutenant governor, the state auditor, the attorney
50     general, and the state treasurer;
51          (iii) the Board of Pardons and Parole;
52          (iv) the Board of Examiners;
53          (v) the National Guard;
54          (vi) the Career Service Review Office;
55          (vii) the State Board of Education;
56          (viii) the Utah Board of Higher Education;

57          (ix) the State Archives;
58          (x) the Office of the Legislative Auditor General;
59          (xi) the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst;
60          (xii) the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel;
61          (xiii) the Legislature;
62          (xiv) legislative committees, except any political party, group, caucus, or rules or
63     sifting committee of the Legislature;
64          (xv) courts, the Judicial Council, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and similar
65     administrative units in the judicial branch;
66          (xvi) any state-funded institution of higher education or public education; [or]
67          (xvii) any political subdivision of the state[.]; or
68          (xviii) a law enforcement agency.
69          (b) "Governmental entity" includes:
70          (i) every office, agency, board, bureau, committee, department, advisory board, or
71     commission of an entity listed in Subsections (3)(a)(i) through [(xvii)] (xviii) that is funded or
72     established by the government to carry out the public's business; or
73          (ii) a person acting as an agent of a governmental entity or acting on behalf of a
74     governmental entity.
75          (4) "Nongovernmental entity" means a person that is not a governmental entity.
76          [(4)] (5) "Secured area" means an area, enclosed by clear boundaries, to which access
77     is limited and not open to the public and entry is only obtainable through specific
78     access-control points.
79          Section 2. Section 41-6a-2003 is amended to read:
80          41-6a-2003. Automatic license plate reader systems -- Restrictions.
81          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a governmental entity may not use an
82     automatic license plate reader system.
83          (2) [An] Subject to Subsection (3), an automatic license plate reader system may be
84     used:
85          (a) by a law enforcement agency: [for the purpose of protecting public safety,
86     conducting criminal investigations, or ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal laws;]
87          (i) as part of an active criminal investigation;

88          (ii) to apprehend an individual with an outstanding warrant;
89          (iii) to locate a missing or endangered person; or
90          (iv) to locate a stolen vehicle;
91          (b) by a governmental parking enforcement entity for the purpose of enforcing state
92     and local parking laws;
93          (c) by a parking enforcement entity for regulating the use of a parking facility;
94          (d) for the purpose of controlling access to a secured area;
95          (e) for the purpose of collecting an electronic toll;
96          (f) for the purpose of enforcing motor carrier laws;
97          (g) by a public transit district for the purpose of assessing parking needs and
98     conducting a travel pattern analysis;
99          (h) by an institution of higher education within the state system of higher education as
100     described in Section 53B-1-102:
101          (i) for a purpose described in Subsections (2)(a) through (d); or
102          (ii) if the data collected is anonymized, for research and educational purposes; [or]
103          (i) by the Utah Inland Port Authority, created in Section 11-58-201, or by a contractor
104     of the Utah Inland Port Authority with the approval of the board of the Utah Inland Port
105     Authority, if:
106          (i) the automatic license plate reader system is used only within a project area, as
107     defined in Section 11-58-102, of the Utah Inland Port Authority;
108          (ii) the purpose of using the automatic license plate reader system is to improve supply
109     chain efficiency or the efficiency of the movement of goods by analyzing and researching data
110     related to commercial vehicle traffic; and
111          (iii) specific license plate information is anonymized[.]; or
112          (j) by an international airport owned by a governmental entity for the purpose of
113     promoting efficient regulation and implementation of traffic control and direction, parking,
114     security, and other similar operational objectives on the airport campus.
115          (3) A law enforcement agency may not use an automatic license plate reader system
116     unless:
117          (a) the law enforcement agency has a written policy regarding the use, management,
118     and auditing of the automatic license plate reader system;

119          (b) for any stationary device installed with the purpose of capturing license plate data
120     of vehicles traveling on a state highway, the law enforcement agency obtains a special use
121     permit as described in Section 72-1-212 from the Department of Transportation before
122     installing the device; and
123          (c) the policy under Subsection (3)(a) and any special use permits granted in
124     accordance with Subsection (3)(b) are:
125          (i) posted and publicly available on the appropriate city, county, or state website; or
126          (ii) posted on the Utah Public Notice Website created in Section 63A-16-601 if the law
127     enforcement agency does not have access to a website under Subsection (3)(c)(i).
128          Section 3. Section 41-6a-2004 is amended to read:
129          41-6a-2004. Captured plate data -- Preservation and disclosure.
130          (1) Captured plate data obtained for the purposes described in Section 41-6a-2003:
131          (a) in accordance with Section 63G-2-305, is a protected record under Title 63G,
132     Chapter 2, Government Records Access and Management Act, if the captured plate data is
133     maintained by a governmental entity;
134          (b) may not be used or shared for any purpose other than the purposes described in
135     Section 41-6a-2003;
136          (c) except as provided in Subsection (3), may not be preserved for more than nine
137     months by a governmental entity except pursuant to:
138          (i) a preservation request under Section 41-6a-2005;
139          (ii) a disclosure order under Subsection 41-6a-2005(2); or
140          (iii) a warrant issued under the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure or an equivalent
141     federal warrant; and
142          (d) may only be disclosed:
143          (i) in accordance with the disclosure requirements for a protected record under Section
144     63G-2-202;
145          (ii) pursuant to a disclosure order under Subsection 41-6a-2005(2); or
146          (iii) pursuant to a warrant issued under the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure or an
147     equivalent federal warrant.
148          (2) (a) A governmental entity that is authorized to use an automatic license plate reader
149     system under this part may not sell captured plate data for any purpose.

150          (b) A governmental entity that is authorized to use an automatic license plate reader
151     system under this part may not share or use captured plate [date] data for a purpose not
152     authorized under Subsection 41-6a-2003(2).
153          (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a governmental entity may preserve
154     and disclose aggregate captured plate data for planning and statistical purposes if the
155     information identifying a specific license plate is not preserved or disclosed.
156          (3) Plate data collected in accordance with Section 72-6-118 may be preserved so long
157     as necessary to collect the payment of a toll or penalty imposed in accordance with Section
158     72-6-118 and the nine-month preservation limitation described in Subsection (1)(c) shall not
159     apply.
160          (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsections (1)(c)(i) through (1)(c)(iii), a governmental
161     entity shall destroy as soon as reasonably possible, in an unrecoverable manner, plate data
162     obtained pursuant to this chapter that is not specifically necessary to achieve the authorized
163     objectives under Subsection 41-6a-2003(2)
164          (b) Subsection (4)(a) applies to data a governmental entity obtains:
165          (i) from a nongovernmental entity pursuant to a warrant; or
166          (ii) from an automatic license plate reader system owned or operated by a
167     governmental entity.
168          Section 4. Section 41-6a-2005 is amended to read:
169          41-6a-2005. Preservation request.
170          (1) A person or governmental entity using an automatic license plate reader system
171     shall take all steps necessary to preserve captured plate data in its possession for 14 days after
172     the date the data is captured pending the issuance of a court order requiring the disclosure of
173     the captured plate data if a governmental entity or defendant in a criminal case requesting the
174     captured plate data submits a written statement to the person or governmental entity using an
175     automatic license plate reader system:
176          (a) requesting the person or governmental entity to preserve the captured plate data;
177          (b) identifying:
178          (i) the camera or cameras for which captured plate data shall be preserved;
179          (ii) the license plate for which captured plate data shall be preserved; or
180          (iii) the dates and time frames for which captured plate data shall be preserved; and

181          (c) notifying the person or governmental entity maintaining the captured plate data that
182     the governmental entity or defendant in a criminal case is applying for a court order for
183     disclosure of the captured plate data.
184          (2) (a) A governmental entity or defendant in a criminal case may apply for a court
185     order for the disclosure of captured plate data possessed by a governmental entity.
186          (b) A court that is a court of competent jurisdiction shall issue a court order requiring
187     the disclosure of captured plate data if the governmental entity or defendant in a criminal case
188     offers specific and articulable facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe that
189     the captured plate data is relevant and material to an ongoing criminal or missing person
190     investigation.
191          (3) Captured plate data that is the subject of an application for a disclosure order under
192     Subsection (2) may be destroyed at the later of:
193          (a) the date that an application for an order under Subsection (2) is denied and any
194     appeal exhausted;
195          (b) the end of 14 days, if the person or governmental entity does not otherwise preserve
196     the captured plate data; or
197          (c) the end of the period described in Subsection 41-6a-2004(1)(c).
198          (4) Notwithstanding Subsection (2), a governmental entity may enter into a
199     memorandum of understanding with another governmental entity to share access to an
200     automatic license plate reader system or captured plate data otherwise authorized by this part.
201          [(4)] (5) A governmental entity may obtain, receive, or use [privately held] captured
202     plate data from a nongovernmental entity only:
203          (a) (i) pursuant to a warrant issued using the procedures described in the Utah Rules of
204     Criminal Procedure or an equivalent federal warrant; or
205          (ii) using the procedure described in Subsection (2); and
206          [(b) if the private automatic license plate reader system retains captured plate data for
207     30 days or fewer.]
208          (b) for the purposes authorized in Subsection 41-6a-2003(2).
209          (6) (a) A law enforcement agency shall preserve a record of:
210          (i) the number of times a search of captured license plate data is conducted by the
211     agency or the agency's employees or agents; and

212          (ii) the crime type and incident number associated with each search of captured license
213     plate data.
214          (b) A law enforcement agency shall preserve a record identified in Subsection (6)(a)
215     for at least five years.
216          Section 5. Section 41-6a-2006 is amended to read:
217          41-6a-2006. Penalties.
218          A person [who violates a provision under this part] who knowingly or intentionally
219     uses, obtains, or discloses captured license plate data in violation of this part is guilty of a class
220     B misdemeanor.
221          Section 6. Section 72-1-212 is amended to read:
222          72-1-212. Special use permitting -- Rulemaking.
223          [(1) For purposes of this section, "special use permit" means a permit issued for a
224     special use or a special event that takes place on a highway.]
225          (1) As used in this section:
226          (a) "Law enforcement agency" means the same as that term is defined in Section
227     53-3-102.
228          (b) "Special use permit" means a permit issued:
229          (i) for a special use or a special event that takes place on a highway; or
230          (ii) to a law enforcement agency to install an automatic license plate reader on a state
231     highway for the purpose of capturing license plate data of vehicles traveling on a state highway,
232     regardless of whether the device is installed on property owned by the department or the law
233     enforcement agency.
234          (2) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, and
235     in consultation with representatives of the Utah League of Cities and Towns and the Utah
236     Association of Counties, the department shall make rules that are not inconsistent with this
237     chapter or the constitution and laws of this state or of the United States governing the issuance
238     of a special use permit to maintain public safety and serve the needs of the traveling public.
239          (3) The rules described in Subsection (2) may:
240          (a) establish the highways for which the highest number of special use permits are
241     issued;
242          (b) develop, in consultation with municipalities, a limit on the number of special use

243     permits that may be issued in any calendar year on a particular highway;
244          (c) require a person to submit an application designated by the department before the
245     department issues a special use permit;
246          (d) limit the number of special use permits issued on any one day for any specified
247     location based on a first-come, first-served basis for completed applications;
248          (e) establish criteria for evaluating completed applications, such as historic use,
249     potential economic benefit, or other relevant factors;
250          (f) specify conditions that are required to be met before a special use permit may be
251     issued;
252          (g) establish a penalty for failure to fulfill conditions required by the special use permit,
253     including suspension of the special use permit or suspension of a future special use permit;
254          (h) require an applicant to obtain insurance for certain special uses or special events; or
255          (i) provide other requirements to maintain public safety and serve the needs of the
256     traveling public.
257          (4) The limit on the number of special use permits described in Subsection (3)(b) may
258     not include:
259          (a) a special use permit issued for a municipality-sponsored special use or special event
260     on a highway within the jurisdiction of the municipality[.]; or
261          (b) a special use permit issued to a law enforcement agency to install a device as part of
262     an automatic license plate reader system authorized by Section 41-6a-2003.
263          (5) The rules described in Subsection (2) shall consider:
264          (a) traveler safety and mobility;
265          (b) the safety of special use or special event participants;
266          (c) emergency access;
267          (d) the mobility of residents close to the event or use;
268          (e) access and economic impact to businesses affected by changes to the normal
269     operation of highway traffic; [and]
270          (f) past performance of an applicant's adherence to special use permit requirements[.];
271     and
272          (g) whether a law enforcement agency applying for a special use permit has published a
273     policy online as required by Section 41-6a-2003.

274          (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department may also
275     require a law enforcement agency applying for a special use permit described in this section to
276     obtain an encroachment permit.
277          [(6)] (7) The department shall adopt a fee schedule in accordance with Section
278     63J-1-504 that reflects the cost of services provided by the department associated with special
279     use permits and with special uses or special events that take place on a highway.
280          (8) For a device installed in accordance with Section 41-6a-2003, the installation,
281     maintenance, data collection, and removal are the responsibility of the law enforcement agency
282     that obtains the special use permit.
283          (9) (a) The department shall preserve a record of special use permits issued to a law
284     enforcement agency, including the stated purpose for each permit.
285          (b) The department shall preserve a record identified in Subsection (9)(a) for at least
286     five years.