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Senate bill · S3827 (2025-26)

Relates to banning the use of biometric identifying technology in schools

Latest action Jun 12, 2025

Summary

Prohibits the use of biometric identifying technology in schools for any reason other than certain specified purposes; adds fingerprint identification of teachers, administrators and students for the purpose of securely logging into a digital device for academic and administrative purpose to allowable purposes.

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Where it stands

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

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A6720, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the State Technology Law.

Committee

Education · New York State Assembly

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

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

To implement a legislative ban on the use and purchase of certain biome- tric identifying technology, such as facial recognition technology, to protect student privacy, avoid biased and discriminatory surveillance and disciplinary practices, and prevent unnecessary data collection which risks leaks of private personally identifiable student informa- tion.

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

Recorded votes

  • Vote: Floor vote

    NY SenateJun 12, 2025Result: passed

    (38) (21) (0) (4)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Education

    Senate EducationMay 6, 2025Result: passed

    (11) (3) (0) (0)

  • Vote: Committee vote · Internet And Technology

    Senate Internet And TechnologyMar 12, 2025Result: passed

    (5) (2) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Julia Salazar, Nathalia Fernandez and 1 more on Agora

  • Democratic3
See the full list on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

The sponsor's argument

Why the sponsor says this is needed

Biometric identifying technology, such as facial recognition technology, is driven by extensive data collection and storage, and its usage in schools would require the collection of extensive and sensitive biome- tric data on each student, faculty member, and visitor. This practice is in direct conflict with the NYS Education Law, which requires schools to promote the least intrusive data collection policies practicable that advance the goals of improving academic achievement, empowering parents with information, and advancing efficient and effective school oper- ations. Although the proponents of biometric identifying technology claim the use of facial recognition technology promotes school safety, facial recognition technology has not been proven to improve school safety. Instead, it unnecessarily infringes upon student, faculty, and visitor privacy. Furthermore, biometric identifying technology has shown a tendency to misidentify people of color and exacerbate pre-existing racially discri- minatory practices. Therefore, in order to prevent discriminatory surveillance and disciplinary practices, prevent the unnecessary collection and storage of sensitive personally identifiable information of students, and protect New Yorkers' right to privacy, the usage and purchase of biometric identifying technology by schools should be banned.

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

  1. Jun 12, 2025

    Sent to the executive

    DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY

    NY Senate

  2. Jun 12, 2025

    Passed a chamber

    PASSED SENATE

    NY Senate

  3. Jun 12, 2025

    Referred to committee

    REFERRED TO EDUCATION

    NY Assembly

  4. May 8, 2025

    Advanced to Third Reading

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING

    NY Senate

  5. May 7, 2025

    2ND Report CAL.

    2ND REPORT CAL.

    NY Senate

Show full history (4 earlier events)
  1. May 6, 2025

    1ST Report CAL.938

    1ST REPORT CAL.938

    NY Senate

  2. Apr 15, 2025

    Amend and Recommit to Education

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO EDUCATION

    NY Senate

  3. Mar 12, 2025

    Reported out of committee

    REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO EDUCATION

    NY Senate

  4. Jan 30, 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.

Cosponsors

The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

Party colors

Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.

Source

From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Nov 1, 2026. About our data

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