A look behind the scenes: Lobbyists take down license plate reader legislation
Amy Laufer received the endorsement of three members from the House of Delegates
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The Rundown
A brief look behind the scenes at how lobbyists killed the license plate bill that appeared to be on track to easy passage.
Amy Laufer received the endorsement of three members from the House of Delegates
A look behind the scenes: Lobbyists take down license plate readers
Lobbyists worked to kill a bill that seemed to be on track for easy passage during the session that would have codified the implementation of license plate readers on roads across the commonwealth. The bill would have authorized the Department of State Police or chief law-enforcement officer of a locality to install, maintain, and operate these devices for law-enforcement purposes on highways maintained by VDOT. The Supreme Court gave law enforcement agencies the ability to do this in 2020, but this bill would have codified it in Virginia.
The House version of the bill sponsored by Del. Bill Wiley (R) advanced easily passing on the full floor 80-19.
The companion bill sponsored by Sen. Lynnwood Lewis (D) passed in the Senate 27-13.
But that was the end of easy passage for these identical bills.