NY, US · AI law tracker
A4916 — NY, US
A4916 is an AI governance legislation from NY, currently committee. The proposed bill introduces prohibitions on state entities and contractors regarding the retention and sharing of facial recognition images [1]. AIGI tracks 2 primary-source updates on this bill; the most recent was published on 2021-02-08.
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 — pending legislative progress
Subscriber only
Full obligation matrix
| Actor | Obligation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| state, state agencies and departments | Must not retain facial recognition images without legal authorization by a court. | — | — |
| state, state agencies and departments | Must not share facial recognition images with third parties without legal authorization by a court. | — | — |
| contractors doing business with the state, its agencies or departments | Must not retain facial recognition images without legal authorization by a court. | — | — |
| contractors doing business with the state, its agencies or departments | Must not share facial recognition images with third parties without legal authorization by a court. | — | — |
Subscriber only
Enforcement risk score
Announced regulation; enforcement footprint still forming.
Subscriber only
Role-based compliance checklist
- general_counsel Review existing contracts and operations involving facial recognition technology with the state of New York to identify potential conflicts.
- compliance_officer Monitor the legislative progress of A4916 in the New York Assembly.
- data_scientist Assess current data retention and sharing practices for facial recognition images to ensure readiness for potential prohibitions.
Subscriber only
Vendor impact assessment
- Vendor risk class
- high
- Procurement categories
- facial_recognition, security_tooling
Vendors providing facial recognition services or systems to New York State agencies will face strict prohibitions on image retention and sharing, requiring significant adjustments to current operational models and data handling policies.
Sample vendor questions
- Does your facial recognition solution retain images after processing, and if so, for how long and under what authorization?
- What processes are in place to ensure facial recognition images are not shared with third parties without explicit legal authorization?
- Can your system be configured to immediately delete facial recognition images post-processing for New York State contracts?
Intelligence briefs (2)
NY Bill A4916: State & Contractors Barred from Retaining Facial Recognition Images
The proposed bill introduces prohibitions on state entities and contractors regarding the retention and sharing of facial recognition images [1].
This development highlights a potential new restriction on biometric data processing for public sector deployers and their vendors in New York.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — pending legislative progress
Primary source →NY Bill A4916 Prohibits State Facial Recognition Image Retention/Sharing
New York Assembly Bill A4916, currently in committee, proposes to restrict state entities and contractors from retaining or sharing facial recognition images [1].
This development signals a potential tightening of data governance and privacy obligations for public sector use of biometric AI in New York State.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — bill is currently in legislative committee.
Primary source →Frequently asked questions
- What is A4916?
- This proposed bill (A4916) in the New York State Assembly aims to prohibit state entities, departments, and their contractors from retaining facial recognition images [1]. The legislation further restricts sharing such images with third parties without explicit legal authorization granted by a court [2]. The bill is currently under review in the Assembly Committee on Governmental Operations. Primary source →
- Why does A4916 matter?
- This development highlights a potential new restriction on biometric data processing for public sector deployers and their vendors in New York. Primary source →
- Who does A4916 affect?
- Organizations providing facial recognition technologies or related services to the New York state government, its agencies, or departments would be directly impacted. This includes companies with existing or prospective contracts involving image processing where facial recognition capabilities might be deployed or where relevant image data is retained. Businesses operating in New York and engaging with the public sector should monitor this legislative trajectory. Primary source →
- What are the key dates for A4916?
- No fixed deadline — pending legislative progress Primary source →
- What is the current status of A4916?
- As of the last published update, A4916 is at the "committee" stage, with bill status "In Assembly Committee". Primary source →
- Where can I find the primary source for A4916?
- The primary source for the most recent update is at https://legislation.nysenate.gov/bills/2021/A4916. AIGI publishes the full citation chain plus every approved brief on this bill. Primary source →
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