Enacts the "facial recognition technology study act"

Latest action Mar 16, 2026

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

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A8788, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Committee

Governmental Operations · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Internet And Technology · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Section 1 specifies the title of the Act Section 2 sets topic of the study, the date and timeframe for the report Section 3 specifies how the members of Task Force will be appointed

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMar 16, 2026Result: passed
(60) (2) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Internet And Technology
Senate Internet And TechnologyFeb 25, 2026Result: passed
(6) (1) (0) (0)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 22, 2025Result: passed
(54) (3) (0) (5)
Vote: Committee vote · Internet And Technology
Senate Internet And TechnologyMay 5, 2025Result: passed
(7) (0) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed

Biometric artificial intelligence such as facial recognition technology is capable of identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source. In general, the technology compares selected facial features from given image with faces within a database. As with many advances in artificial intelligence, there are countless beneficial uses, yet we must properly guard against abuse and misuse of the technology. Some local governments around the nation have banned the technology while states are considering the same. The FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY STUDY ACT would create a task force of experts to help New York determine the proper regulatory environment for the technology. We recognize that there are many benefits to using the technology. The challenge is how to use it properly for New York.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Mar 16, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Mar 16, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Mar 16, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly
Mar 4, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Feb 26, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate

Show full history (12 earlier events)

Feb 25, 2026
1ST Report CAL.431
1ST REPORT CAL.431
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY
NY Senate
Jun 5, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly
May 22, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 22, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 22, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
NY Assembly
May 7, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 6, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
May 5, 2025
1ST Report CAL.930
1ST REPORT CAL.930
NY Senate
Jan 29, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 3, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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