I'm deeply concerned about Georgia Code § 35-1-22 (f), which states that captured license plate data collected by law enforcement is exempt from public disclosure. This affects every Georgian as taxpayers fund the deployment and operation of these Flock cameras. You, as a citizen, deserve to know what data is being collected from you and what is being done with it.

Take a moment to think about this: the data encompassing your movements—your license plate—is being collected under conditions that are not fully transparent to you. You have no insight into how this data is being used, stored, or potentially sold. This is your personal information, essentially paid for with your taxpayer dollars, and yet it remains shielded from you.

The Constitution grants citizens the right to access government-held information, which is the foundation of democratic accountability. Yet, this law bars us from accessing information that is inherently ours. Is it right that something as personal and potentially impactful as our location data should be collected without our ability to review or question it?

Other states have implemented regulations that afford citizens at least some access to surveillance data, bringing transparency to law enforcement processes without compromising security. We can look to state models where citizens have the right to request their own data, examine its usage, and understand its destination. Such transparency prevents abuse and misuse by ensuring a system of checks and balances.

The transformative potential of this petition can set a precedent in Georgia, granting citizens the ability to verify if their movements, represented by plate data, are safeguarded and used appropriately. This is not just an issue of constitutional legality; It’s about our right to personal privacy and government transparency.

I urge you to stand with me in calling upon the State of Georgia to revise GA Code § 35-1-22 (f). Let’s demand transparency regarding the collection and use of our data.

Sign this petition to assert your right to know and gain access to information that should rightfully be in the public domain.