Education

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.

This bill prohibits colleges and universities from asking about an applicant's prior arrests (that didn't result in conviction) or sealed criminal convictions during the admissions process. It directly affects individuals with criminal records who apply to higher education institutions. After admission, colleges may inquire about criminal history only to provide support services or determine participation in campus activities, but must use an individualized process considering factors like time since conviction and rehabilitation, not deny access outright. Colleges cannot rescind admission offers based on past convictions, and must provide written appeal procedures for any activity restrictions. The law applies broadly to all degree-granting institutions of higher education in the state.

Requires the administration of certain vaccines for children in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner, utilizing generally accepted medical standards and based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or other similar nationally or internationally recognized scientific organizations.