Should law enforcement be allowed to use license plate scanners?

On Thursday the Senate passed HB 1154, which allows New Hampshire law enforcement to use electronic license plate scanners to identify targeted vehicles.

The bill defines a license plate scanner as a device "attended to and operated by a law enforcement officer, and that uses automated high speed camera and optical character recognition technology" to read license plates and check them against a database for flagged cars.

Currently, license plate scanning technology is used in states throughout the country. Previous to the passage of HB 1154, New Hampshire was the first and only state to ban the use of such technology.

Bill supporters say the new technology can help solve serious crimes while also incorporating privacy safeguards at the same time.

Opponents, however, argue that scanners violate people’s constitutional rights against warrantless searches.

UPDATE: Read our Citizen Voices℠ report and find out where New Hampshire stands on this issue.