NY, US · AI law tracker

A2621 — NY, US

A2621 is an AI governance legislation from NY, currently committee. New York Bill A2621 would permit biometric age verification for alcohol and tobacco sales [1]. AIGI tracks 1 primary-source update on this bill; the most recent was published on 2023-01-26.

Status & timeline

Regulatory stage
committee
Bill status
In Assembly Committee
Authority / governing body
New York State Senate
Chamber
Assembly
Document type
legislation

Next deadline: No fixed deadline — the bill is currently in committee review.

Subscriber only

Full obligation matrix

ActorObligationDeadlineSource
licensee, its agent or employeeis authorized to determine a person's age when purchasing alcoholic beverages or tobacco products by use of a biometric identity verification device
licensee, its agent or employeeshall deny the attempted purchase of the alcoholic beverage where the use of the device indicates that the person is under the age of twenty-one

Subscriber only

Enforcement risk score

0
/ 100

Hypothetical or aspirational; no enforcement signal yet.

Subscriber only

Role-based compliance checklist

  • compliance_officer Monitor the status of NY A2621 for potential enactment.
  • general_counsel Review the final language if enacted to understand the scope and limitations of biometric age verification.
  • ceo Assess feasibility and implications of adopting biometric age verification technology if authorized.

Subscriber only

Vendor impact assessment

Vendor risk class
medium
Procurement categories
security_tooling, other

Vendors providing biometric identity verification solutions for age verification would need to ensure their systems meet any specific requirements outlined if this bill passes, particularly regarding data privacy, accuracy, and handling of underage denials, to attract retail clients.

Sample vendor questions

  1. How is biometric data captured, stored, and processed to ensure privacy and security in compliance with existing privacy laws?
  2. What accuracy rates does the device achieve in age verification, and how is bias prevented or mitigated across different demographics?
  3. Does the system integrate seamlessly with existing point-of-sale (POS) systems, and what are the hardware/software requirements?
  4. What are the vendor's data retention policies for biometric information, and how are individuals' rights (e.g., deletion) handled?
  5. What are the fallback procedures if the biometric device fails or a customer declines its use?

Intelligence briefs (1)

Frequently asked questions

What is A2621?
The New York State Assembly is considering Bill A2621, which would permit licensees to use biometric identity verification devices for age determination in the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products [1]. This legislation specifically authorizes the denial of purchases if a biometric scan indicates an individual is under 21 years of age [2]. Primary source →
Why does A2621 matter?
This development bears on the permissible scope and deployer obligations for biometric AI systems in commercial settings. Primary source →
Who does A2621 affect?
This legislation primarily affects businesses holding liquor or tobacco licenses in New York State, including bars, restaurants, and retail stores, that deploy or consider deploying biometric identity verification systems. The specific AI use case is age verification for restricted product sales. Organizations involved in developing or manufacturing such biometric devices for commercial use in New York would also be within scope. Primary source →
What are the key dates for A2621?
No fixed deadline — the bill is currently in committee review. Primary source →
What is the current status of A2621?
As of the last published update, A2621 is at the "committee" stage, with bill status "In Assembly Committee". Primary source →
Where can I find the primary source for A2621?
The primary source for the most recent update is at https://legislation.nysenate.gov/bills/2023/A2621. AIGI publishes the full citation chain plus every approved brief on this bill. Primary source →

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