Bill
H 3155
SC ALPR bill tightly restricts use to specific authorities, caps data retention at 90 days, bans sale of plate data, and imposes misdemeanor penalties for violations.
Note on source material
- The provided file appears to combine two distinct pieces of legislation: (A) Massachusetts House Bill H.3155 (introduced by Rep. Hannah Kane) concerning state income tax conformity and the deductibility of business interest; and (B) a South Carolina bill (proposed addition of S.C. Code §23‑1‑235) that regulates the use of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems. The title you gave (“Automatic license plate readers”) corresponds to the South Carolina ALPR text below. I summarize both bills separately so readers understand the contents and implications of each.
1) South Carolina — Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) bill (proposed §23‑1‑235)
Purpose and intent
- To tightly restrict who may use ALPR systems, define acceptable uses and locations, limit data retention and sharing, and create criminal penalties for violations.
Key provisions
- Definitions: “Alert,” “Automatic license plate reader system,” “Captured plate data” (GPS coords, date/time, photo, plate number — expressly not “personal data”), “Governmental entity,” and “Secured area.”
- Broad prohibition: Individuals, private entities, and state/local governments generally may not use ALPRs except as expressly allowed.
- Permitted uses:
- State, county, or municipal law enforcement for comparisons with DMV/SLED/DPS/NCIC/FBI kidnapping/missing-persons databases or law-enforcement databases for ongoing investigations.
- Parking enforcement for regulation of parking facilities.
- Controlling access to secured areas.
- Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation for electronic verification of commercial vehicle registration/compliance to aid movement of commercial vehicles.
- Installation requirement for certain uses: ALPRs used under the statute must be installed at an entrance ramp at a weigh station facility to review commercial motor vehicles entering the facility.
- Data use and retention:
- Captured plate data must be used only for the permitted purposes and preserved no more than 90 days.
- Data retained for an ongoing investigation must be destroyed when the investigation concludes without charges or upon conclusion of any related criminal action.
- Governmental entities must update captured plate data every 24 hours if updates are available.
- Sale, trade, or exchange of captured plate data is prohibited, except that law enforcement may share evidence of an offense with other agencies.
- Penalty: Violation is a misdemeanor; conviction carries up to one year imprisonment.
- Effective date: Upon approval by the Governor.
Who is affected
- Law enforcement agencies, state DOT/DPS, parking authorities, commercial vehicle operators, and private actors (who are largely prohibited from using ALPRs). Members of the public affected indirectly through automated surveillance and data retention rules.
2) Massachusetts — H.3155 (Rep. Hannah Kane) — “An Act allowing for the deduction of business interest”
Purpose and intent
- To change state income tax conformity with the federal Internal Revenue Code and to alter how the federal business interest limitation (IRC §163(j)) is treated for Massachusetts tax purposes.
Key provisions
- Revises definitions of “Code” in Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 62 §1 and ch. 63 §1 to specify which federal code versions/provisions Massachusetts will follow.
- For purposes of determining the amount of business interest deductible under state law, the federal limitation under IRC §163(j) “shall not apply” (i.e., Massachusetts will not adopt the federal §163(j) limitation).
- For corporations, “net income” reference updated to follow federal deductions but again treating §163(j) as it was before Jan 1, 2018.
- Disallowed carryforwards under federal §163(j):
- For tax years commencing on/after Jan 1, 2025, no deduction is allowed for carryforwards of disallowed business interest under §163(j).
- Any carryforward amount as of the tax year ending before Jan 1, 2025, will be allowed as a deduction in three equal parts over three consecutive years beginning with the first tax year commencing on/after Jan 1, 2025.
- Effective: Taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Businesses and corporations filing Massachusetts income tax returns (potentially increases state taxable income for businesses subject to federal §163(j)), tax practitioners, and state revenue collections.
Legislative status / procedural notes
- H.3155 (MA): Introduced Jan 14, 2025; referred to Committee on Revenue Feb 27, 2025; hearing scheduled/updated for Oct 3, 2025 per legislative actions listed. Senate concurrence noted 02/27/2025 in the record you provided.
- SC ALPR bill: Text indicates introduction/committee action with effective-upon-Governor-approval language; two identical drafts dated 12/05/2024 are included in the source.
If you want, I can:
- Prepare a side‑by‑side comparison of the ALPR bill to existing state policy/case law on ALPRs; or
- Produce a revenue estimate or fiscal-impact summary for the Massachusetts tax provisions (would require assumptions or additional data).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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