Bill > S1053

This bill implements comprehensive regulations for the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, establishing strict guidelines and oversight mechanisms. The legislation defines key terms like "biometric surveillance technology" and "facial recognition," and generally prohibits law enforcement agencies from acquiring or using such technology except under very specific, limited circumstances. The bill allows the Department of State Police to perform facial recognition searches only in four narrow scenarios: executing a warrant for a felony, responding to an emergency involving imminent danger, identifying a deceased person, or on behalf of another agency with proper authorization. The legislation mandates detailed documentation and reporting requirements for every facial recognition search, including quarterly and annual public reports that disaggregate search data by race, gender, and purpose. Additionally, the bill prohibits using biometric surveillance to infer emotions or analyze moving images, with only limited exceptions for still images. Crucially, the law requires that defendants be notified and provided comprehensive information about any facial recognition searches used in their cases, ensuring transparency and potential challenges to the technology's reliability. The registrar of motor vehicles is permitted to use facial recognition only for identity verification when issuing licenses, and any technology used must be approved after a public hearing.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1053