Criminal Procedure - Facial Recognition Technology - Requirements, Procedures, and Prohibitions

This Maryland law establishes strict rules for how law enforcement agencies can use facial recognition technology in criminal investigations. It generally prohibits using the technology's results as evidence in court unless they are supported by additional, independently gathered proof. The bill also limits when officers can use these tools, allowing them only for serious crimes like violence, human trafficking, or stalking, and forbids scanning images of people engaged in lawful activities or those not intended to be identified. Furthermore, the law bans comparing suspect images against databases containing photos of individuals based on their race, religion, political beliefs, or other protected characteristics. Finally, any facial recognition results must be verified by a trained individual before they can be used in an investigation.