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S. 4084 116th Congress Senate

Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020

Official title: A bill to prohibit biometric surveillance by the Federal Government without explicit statutory authorization and to withhold certain Federal public safety gran… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to prohibit biometric surveillance by the Federal Government without explicit statutory authorization and to withhold certain Federal public safety grants from State and local governments that engage in biometric surveillance.

Introduced: July 22, 2020 Introduced by: Edward J. Markey Democratic · Massachusetts See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Civil actions and liabilityComputers and information technologyDue process and equal protectionEvidence and witnesses
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Federal officialsGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesLaw enforcement administration and fundingPhotography and imagingRight of privacyState and local government operations
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 25, 2020
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jun 25, 2020
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 25, 2020

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020

This bill imposes limits on the use of biometric surveillance systems, such as facial recognition systems, by federal and state government entities.

A federal agency or official may not in an official capacity acquire, possess, or use in the United States any such system or information obtained by such a system unless Congress passes an act that specifically authorizes such a use. Such an act of Congress must contain certain provisions, such as provisions naming the specific authorized entity and auditing requirements relating to the system.

Information obtained in violation of this bill shall not be admissible by the federal government in any proceeding or investigation, except in a proceeding alleging a violation of this bill.

An individual aggrieved by a violation of these restrictions shall have the right to sue. Any state officer authorized to sue on behalf of the state's residents shall also have the right to sue on behalf of the state's aggrieved residents.

A state or local government unit shall not receive certain federal law enforcement grants unless the government unit complies with a law or policy that is substantially similar to this bill's restrictions on acquiring and using biometric surveillance systems.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 7356 Identical bill Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 3 Independent 1
I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Jul 22, 2020
 D
Warren, Elizabeth
Massachusetts · Jul 22, 2020
 D
Wyden, Ron
Oregon · Jul 22, 2020
 D
Merkley, Jeff
Oregon · Jun 25, 2020
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 4084: Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4084/
MLA
"S. 4084: Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4084/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 4084, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4084/.
Markdown link
[S. 4084: Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act of 2020](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-S-4084/)
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