S 9643 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relates to banning the use of biometric identifying technology in schools

This bill prohibits public and nonpublic schools, including charter schools, from purchasing or using biometric identifying technology like facial recognition for most purposes. The law allows exceptions for fingerprinting prospective employees to comply with education laws, logging into digital devices for academic use, and identifying employees who have provided written consent or whose unions have consented. The bill requires the director of the state education department to prepare a detailed report analyzing privacy risks, civil rights impacts, security effectiveness, data retention, breach risks, costs, and other factors before any such technology can be authorized for school use. This report must be made public and shared with state leaders while seeking feedback from teachers, parents, safety experts, and privacy advocates through public hearings.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Jun 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Assembly Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 31, 2026 Last action Jun 1, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Jun 1, 2026

How they voted

3822
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 63
Jun 1, 2026
D Democratic41
37 Yea 1 Nay 3
90% Yea
R Republican22
1 Yea 21 Nay
95% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Jun 1, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO EDUCATION
lower
Jun 1, 2026
Upper · Passed
PASSED SENATE
upper
May 28, 2026
Committee
COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
upper
Mar 31, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO INTERNET AND TECHNOLOGY
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors