Virginia NAACP Responds to Senate Courts of Justice Committee’s Passage of HB2724

The NAACP Virginia State Conference (Virginia NAACP) is pleased to announce that the Senate Courts of Justice Committee has passed HB2724, maintaining essential guardrails while excluding the expansion of license plate reader cameras. Notably, this legislation includes a re-enactment clause that allows the issue of expansion to be revisited in 2026. We urge legislators to retain this re-enactment clause to ensure that any future expansion is not considered until comprehensive regulatory guardrails are established and monitored across the Commonwealth.

President Cozy Bailey asserts that the NAACP’s position on this matter is clear: we do not support the expansion of surveillance technologies such as license plate readers. Our primary objective is to advocate for robust regulatory frameworks that promote fairness and equity in their use. We remain steadfast in our commitment to universal regulatory oversight.

Echoing this sentiment, Virginia NAACP Political Action Chair Gaylene Kanoyton emphasizes the importance of subjecting existing license plate readers to thorough oversight and evaluation before contemplating the introduction of new systems. Assessing the current technology’s impacts and outcomes is crucial to ensuring it serves our communities justly and effectively. As an organization dedicated to civil rights and justice, we advocate for transparency and accountability in all forms of surveillance.

We call on local authorities to prioritize the establishment of guardrails that protect residents’ rights and foster equitable practices. The Virginia NAACP is committed to championing policies that uplift and empower our communities while safeguarding civil liberties.