by Andrew Adams, Capitol News Illinois August 27, 2025

CHICAGO — An automatic license plate reader company used by hundreds of police departments around Illinois broke state law by allowing federal border enforcement officers to access Illinois license plate camera data, according to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.

The company, Flock Safety, was also allegedly used by out-of-state police earlier this year to look for a woman who recently had an abortion. That situation sparked the secretary of state’s office to audit Flock.

Giannoulias alleges that Flock gave U.S. Customs and Border Patrol access to Illinois data as part of a pilot program. continues

(Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, August 21, 2025

CHICAGO- Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1181 into law, clarifying that the protections in the Citizen Participation Act apply to the freedom of the press to opine, report, or investigate matters of public concern. The Citizen Participation Act protects against “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (SLAPPs), and with this new amendment, news media will be explicitly added as a protected entity. In Illinois, journalists facing defamation lawsuits and similar litigation for reporting on public matters will be protected under the same legislation.

“As Trump and his friends continue their frivolous and targeted attacks on members of the free press, we are working to protect and empower Illinois journalists as they keep the general public informed,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This law will strengthen our anti-SLAPP legislation in Illinois—ensuring press don’t have to fear retaliation for reporting the truth and reminding all Illinoisans that their free speech is safe, valued, and protected.”
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