Washington State Senate Adopts Legislation To Regulate Facial Recognition Statewide

While a senate bill would largely ban government agencies from using facial recognition for ongoing surveillance, other legislators are pushing for a full moratorium on the software.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Feb 21, 2020

As Congress weighs implementing restrictions on the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement and government agencies, Washington state senators are taking action on the state level.

Senators approved a bill on Wednesday that bans state and local government agencies from using facial recognition for ongoing surveillance in cases that do not involve a search warrant, according to The Seattle Times. A government agency can also determine that ongoing facial recognition use is necessary in some emergencies, such as if people are at risk of dying.

“Right now, facial-recognition technology is being used unchecked and with little recourse,” Sen. Joe Nguyen, a Democrat, said during a speech before the bill passed. “And tech companies generally don’t care about the moral values of the products they are creating.”

An agency worker with training on facial recognition must also review any decisions made about the use of the software under the legislation. The worker must have the authority to change the decision, particularly in cases where facial recognition is being used to determine the granting or denying of loans, health care, housing or employment.

SB 6280 also sets standards for training that government employees receive on how to handle personal data, such as facial scans. If the bill is adopted, government agencies must issue annual reports on how they use the technology and hold community meetings on those reports, the Times reported.

Lawmakers in the state House are pushing for a moratorium on government use of facial recognition, with one bill proposing a ban until July 1, 2023. The bill passed a House committee but did not receive a full vote before a key deadline on Wednesday, according to the Times.

Some legislators are calling for a compromise between Nguyen and the more strict House bill, with Republican Rep. Matt Boehnke suggesting a one-year moratorium so legislators can determine how facial recognition is currently being used by the government and how to properly regulate it.

The controversy surrounding facial recognition, and its accuracy in identifying people of color and women, continues to brew across the country. Several cities have banned government use of the software, and critics cite a federal study issued in December finding that most facial recognition algorithms in the U.S. are less accurate for people of color, particularly African-Americans and Native Americans.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3