What Mat-Su's Plate Reader Ban Actually Reaches
Five agencies police the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The borough is not one of them.
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The story
On September 15th its assembly adopted Ordinance Serial No. 26-106 unanimously, the same night as the public hearing, in force on adoption. The chapter bars borough departments, employees, contractors and money from acquiring or operating automated plate readers. One section bars the borough from even receiving data from an operator. Eight borough officials had signed the routing block in August.
The ordinance and its information memorandum carry six of the nine frames. The borough's own law enforcement page carries two. The Anchorage Daily News carries one.
That reach is real and it stops at the borough's own desk. So which sentence of MSB 23.30 still binds anything if the troopers mount a plate reader on a Mat-Su road tomorrow?
What we verified
38 CLAIMS, EACH RE-FETCHED FROM ITS SOURCE BEFORE THIS DECK SHIPPED
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly adopted Ordinance Serial No. 26-106 on September 15th, creating borough code chapter MSB 23.30.
The ordinance title states that it adopts MSB 23.30 to prohibit acquisition, installation and operation of automated license plate reader systems and associated mass surveillance technology.
The ordinance was sponsored by Assemblymember Bowles.
The ordinance header records the ordinance as introduced on September 1st with a public hearing set for September 15th and adoption on September 15th.
Section 1 classifies the ordinance as general and permanent and makes it part of the Borough Code.
The new chapter is headed MSB 23.30 ALPR SYSTEMS PROHIBITED.
MSB 23.30.010 defines an automated license plate reader as a system of one or more high-speed camera units that converts images of license plates and vehicle identifiers into computer-readable data.
MSB 23.30.010 defines an ALPR Operator as any Borough department, division, employee, or third-party contractor acting under contract with the Borough.
MSB 23.30.020(A) bars any Borough department, division, employee or agent from acquiring, leasing, borrowing, installing, maintaining or operating ALPR hardware, software or data-collection systems.
MSB 23.30.020(B) bars Borough funds, personnel or resources from being allocated toward entering into, renewing or extending any contract, memorandum of understanding or partnership relating to ALPR data collection.
MSB 23.30.030(A) prohibits the Borough and its departments from accessing, querying, uploading data to, or receiving data from any ALPR operator, network, database or private surveillance network.
MSB 23.30.040(A) declares any contract or agreement in violation of the chapter void ab initio and unenforceable.
Section 3 of the ordinance states that it takes effect upon adoption.
A whereas clause states that the right to privacy is a fundamental protection recognized by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alaska.
The ordinance finds that ALPR systems collect, store and share systemic location data, creating a permanent tracking record of everyday citizens without reasonable suspicion or a warrant.
The ordinance finds that the structural risks to civil liberties outweigh what it calls the purported public safety benefits of the technology.
The first whereas clause states that the intent and rationale of the ordinance are found in the accompanying Information Memorandum 26-181.
The ordinance records that it passed unanimously with seven assembly members named.
The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly is made up of seven members elected from districts for staggered four-year terms.
The ordinance names Edna DeVries as Borough Mayor on its signature line.
The Legistar legislative record lists the matter as file OR 26-106 with status Passed before the body Assembly Regular Meeting.
The legislative record gives the matter an agenda date and a passed date of September 15th.
The legislative history records that on September 1st Assemblymember Bernier moved to introduce the legislation and set the public hearing for September 15th, and the motion passed.
The legislative history's action text records that on September 15th Assemblymember Bowles moved to adopt Ordinance Serial No. 26-106 and the motion passed.
Information Memorandum 26-181 records the assembly action as adopted without objection on September 15th.
The information memorandum summary states the ordinance will prohibit ALPR systems on borough owned land and properties and prohibit any Borough funds from being spent on such systems.
The information memorandum states the ordinance will prohibit employees from spending any time whatsoever entering into, renewing or extending any contract, memorandum of understanding or partnership relating to ALPR data collection.
The information memorandum routing block carries administrative signature dates running from August 19th to August 21st, all before the ordinance reached the assembly floor.
Eight borough officials signed the information memorandum routing block before the ordinance reached the assembly floor.
The borough's own law enforcement page states that the borough does not have police powers.
The borough's law enforcement page lists five agencies that police the borough, none of which is a borough department.
The public hearing on the ordinance was noticed for Tuesday September 15th at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Chambers at 350 East Dahlia Avenue in Palmer.
The ALPR ordinance was one of five ordinances noticed for public hearing at the September 15th meeting, the other four being appropriation and project matters.
State labor estimates for 2025 put the Matanuska-Susitna Borough population at about 117,400.
The Anchorage Assembly did not vote on its police surveillance ordinance, AO 2026-108(S), at its September 15th meeting.
Anchorage Assembly members voted unanimously to postpone the surveillance ordinance to their regular meeting on October 20th.
Anchorage Assembly member Daniel Volland said stronger language and stronger protections are needed in the surveillance ordinance.
Anchorage Assembly member Yarrow Silvers cautioned against passing a rushed version of an ordinance members do not fully understand.
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