This bill restricts most law enforcement use of facial recognition technology to prevent privacy violations. It prohibits state and local police from acquiring, using, or contracting for facial recognition systems without specific legal authorization, except for limited exceptions like felony warrants, emergencies involving immediate danger, identifying deceased persons, or requests from other agencies with proper authorization. The law requires detailed documentation of all searches, mandates transparency for defendants in criminal cases (including system accuracy data), and requires public reporting of all facial recognition requests. The only exception allowing routine use is for the Registry of Motor Vehicles to verify identities when issuing licenses, with strict limits on sharing that technology.
By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 78) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier and others for legislation to establish the Massachusetts consumer data privacy act. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1731) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to promote transparency of facial recognition and driver's license photos. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 78) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier and others for legislation to establish the Massachusetts consumer data privacy act. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
HD 1679 defines key terms for future data privacy laws but does not establish new rights or obligations. It creates a framework by defining terms like "personal data," "biometric data," "controller," and "data breach" for use in upcoming legislation. This bill directly affects future laws governing data privacy in the Commonwealth, not current entities or individuals. It serves as a foundational reference for any subsequent internet privacy regulations.
HD 3153 protects transportation network drivers' (like Uber or Lyft drivers) personal data by making their records confidential and non-public. It requires companies to share only necessary driver data with driver organizations during bargaining, while mandating strong security measures like encryption and access controls. The law explicitly prohibits sharing driver data with immigration enforcement agencies without a court order. The state board must create detailed regulations by 2025 covering data minimization, breach protocols, and driver consent options.
HD 1032 establishes privacy protections for drivers by regulating how law enforcement and government agencies collect and use location data from license plate readers and toll systems. The bill requires law enforcement to obtain a search warrant for most access to this data (with limited emergency exceptions requiring a 48-hour report), prohibits selling or sharing the data, and limits retention to 14 days for license plate data and 120 days for toll data. It also bans using illegally collected data in court proceedings and allows drivers to file civil lawsuits for violations. These rules directly protect drivers from unwarranted surveillance and data misuse by government agencies and private entities collecting vehicle location information.
This bill prohibits educational technology operators from using student or educator data for targeted advertising, building profiles for non-educational purposes, or selling personal information. It directly affects companies providing online tools used in K-12 schools (like apps or websites), requiring them to stop collecting and misusing data such as location, biometrics, grades, or online behavior linked to specific students or teachers. Key provisions define "covered information" broadly - including names, addresses, health records, search history, and persistent tracking identifiers - and ban the sale of this data or its use for advertising based on students' online activity. The law applies to all K-12 school-related digital tools, ensuring data collected for educational purposes cannot be repurposed for commercial gain.
By Mr. Fernandes, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Dylan A. Fernandes for legislation to protect residents from abusive use of their biometric information. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 45) of Michael O. Moore, Joanne M. Comerford, Rebecca L. Rausch, James B. Eldridge and others for legislation to establish the Massachusetts Data Privacy Protection Act. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
