A 8788: Enacts the "facial recognition technology study act" to study privacy concerns and potential regulatory approaches to the development of facial recognition technology.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8788 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY June 5, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to enact the "facial recognition technology study act" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "facial recognition technology study act". 3 § 2. a. A task force is hereby established to study the proper regula- 4 tory approach to the development of facial recognition technology. For 5 purposes of this act "facial recognition technology" shall mean technol- 6 ogy capable of identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or 7 a video frame or from a video source by comparing facial features from a 8 given image with faces within a database. 9 b. The task force shall study: 10 (i) the potential privacy concerns that facial recognition technology 11 presents to individuals and the public; 12 (ii) the regulatory actions other states, localities, or countries 13 have taken with regard to the development of such technology; 14 (iii) the ways such technology can be misused or abused; 15 (iv) the best administrative methods for regulating such technology 16 and how to prepare for future developments through innovation of such 17 technology; and 18 (v) any other subject that is related to the intent of this act as 19 determined by the chairperson. 20 c. No later than one year after the effective date of this act, the 21 task force shall report its findings to the governor and the legisla- 22 ture, as described under subdivision b of this section. 23 § 3. a. The task force shall be comprised of: 24 (i) two members appointed by the governor; 25 (ii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate; 26 (iii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07914-01-5 
 A. 8788 2 1 (iv) one member appointed by the director of the office of information 2 technology services. 3 b. One of the appointments by the governor shall serve as chairperson 4 of the task force. 5 c. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for 6 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 7 incurred in the performance of their services. 8 d. All departments, divisions, bureaus, commissions, districts or 9 agencies of the state or any political subdivisions thereof shall, at 10 the request of the chairperson, provide the task force with such facili- 11 ties, assistance and data as will enable the task force to carry out its 12 powers and duties. 13 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.