SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois residents could soon see cameras installed along the state’s highways.

That technology can scan license plates, and police said that it could help them solve crimes.

The House passes a measure to install highway cameras that scan and read residents’ license plates. Governor JB Pritzker has called for expanding surveillance technology to help police solve crimes.

Several lawmakers have come into close contact with shootings on expressways. These violent crimes shot up during and after the pandemic.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said that tracking is a game changer.

“We’re not spying on people, you absolutely do not need a warrant for an individual, an individual’s asking for their data to be given to the government so that they can track it, you don’t need a warrant for that,” Dart said. “Technology is critical to defeating crime, funding for cameras using automated license plate reader technology to help us identify and catch suspects involved in expressway shootings, and other violence, and we welcome the responsible expansion of that technology across the state.”

That information would be held for the use of ongoing investigations for now. That same technology could be useful in the future if the state decided to implement a mileage tax.