A statewide ban on Flock license-plate reader cameras proposed by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton would require Blue Ash to shut down the surveillance network the city decided to keep as of Sept. 10.

Acton, Ohio's former director of public health, announced Tuesday, Sept. 8, that she supports legislation prohibiting all Ohio police departments from using Flock cameras. She cited growing "reports of misuse" of the technology, according to WLWT.

"It's become clear that Flock cameras pose serious risks to our privacy and are too easily abused," Acton said on X. "As governor, I'll work across the aisle to ban their use statewide and protect Ohioans from the misuse of AI surveillance."

Blue Ash is one of the few remaining communities in the region still operating its Flock system, as we reported Sept. 10. A statewide ban signed into law would override that local decision.

The trend away from Flock has accelerated. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office shut down all 75 of its Flock cameras Sept. 3. Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey called it a pause, not a permanent cancellation, telling WLWT her office is waiting for stronger guardrails from Flock Safety and the Ohio Legislature.

Pierce Township ended its Flock contract Aug. 12 after its Board of Trustees voted to cancel rather than spend $26,000 to renew, according to WLWT. Oxford, Ohio, and several Northern Kentucky cities have also dropped the technology, Fox 19 reported.

Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has raised concerns about Flock cameras but has not called for an outright ban. At the Allen County Fair in July, he said the cameras should never be used to spy on people in private spaces, calling that "a hard boundary," according to cleveland.com.

Gov. Mike DeWine defended the technology, arguing that abuse of a tool does not make the tool ineffective, as reported by WKRC. Attorney General Andy Wilson called Flock cameras "absolutely invaluable" for finding kidnapped children and missing adults.

The debate has been fueled by arrests. In August, a Kentucky police officer was arrested after allegedly accessing Flock data thousands of times to track and harass a former partner. An Indiana officer faced similar allegations the same month, WLWT reported.

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers, including Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, and Rep. Levi Dean, R-Xenia, has urged the Ohio Department of Transportation to halt new permits for Flock-style cameras on state highways, according to the Ohio Capital Journal. Dean has announced plans to introduce the "Ohio Freedom from Mass Surveillance Act" to prohibit government use of the technology.

Bills introduced this late in the legislative session, which ends in December, rarely pass. That means the next governor would likely hold veto or signing power over any Flock legislation. The election is Nov. 3, and polls show a tight race between Acton and Ramaswamy.