NY, US · AI law tracker
S79 — NY, US
S79 is an AI governance legislation from NY, currently committee. Senate Bill S79 prohibits biometric surveillance technology use by law enforcement and establishes a regulatory task force [1]. AIGI tracks 2 primary-source updates on this bill; the most recent was published on 2020-12-18.
Status & timeline
- Regulatory stage
- committee
- Bill status
- In Senate Committee
- Authority / governing body
- New York State Senate
- Chamber
- Senate
- Document type
- legislation
Next deadline: No fixed deadline — in committee
Subscriber only
Full obligation matrix
| Actor | Obligation | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| agency | Law enforcement agencies are prohibited from using biometric surveillance technology. | Upon enactment and effective date of the law. | — |
| agency | The state must establish a biometric surveillance regulation task force. | — | — |
Subscriber only
Enforcement risk score
Announced regulation; enforcement footprint still forming.
Subscriber only
Role-based compliance checklist
- general_counsel Monitor the legislative progress of S79 in the New York State Senate. (ongoing)
- compliance_officer Inventory all current biometric surveillance technologies and practices used by law enforcement. (upon bill enactment)
- board_director Review potential operational impacts of a prohibition on biometric surveillance technology. (upon bill enactment)
Subscriber only
Vendor impact assessment
- Vendor risk class
- critical
- Procurement categories
- security_tooling, other
Vendors providing biometric surveillance technology to law enforcement in New York face significant impact, potentially requiring cessation of sales or significant product modifications if this bill passes.
Sample vendor questions
- Does your biometric surveillance technology comply with New York state law regarding law enforcement use?
- Can your technology be configured to comply with potential prohibitions on law enforcement use in New York?
- What is your roadmap for adapting to evolving regulations on biometric surveillance?
- What data governance and privacy features are embedded in your biometric surveillance solutions?
- How do you assist clients in navigating regulatory landscapes for biometric technology?
Intelligence briefs (2)
NY Bill S79 Prohibits Biometric Surveillance by Law Enforcement, Establishes Task Force
Senate Bill S79 prohibits biometric surveillance technology use by law enforcement and establishes a regulatory task force [1].
This legislative development signals a growing intent to restrict government deployment of AI-powered surveillance, impacting public sector and technology providers.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — in committee
Primary source →NY S79 Bill: Biometric Surveillance Ban & Task Force for Law Enforcement
The proposed S79 bill aims to prohibit law enforcement's use of biometric surveillance technology and create a regulatory task force [1].
This development signals a legislative intent to restrict public sector AI deployments, affecting scope and deployer obligations for specific use cases.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — currently in committee with an uncertain legislative timeline.
Primary source →Frequently asked questions
- What is S79?
- New York Senate Bill S79 has been introduced to prohibit the use of biometric surveillance technology by law enforcement agencies statewide [1]. The bill concurrently establishes a dedicated task force responsible for regulating biometric surveillance [1]. This legislative effort, currently in committee, aims to address privacy concerns associated with the deployment of advanced surveillance tools within public safety contexts. Primary source →
- Why does S79 matter?
- This legislative development signals a growing intent to restrict government deployment of AI-powered surveillance, impacting public sector and technology providers. Primary source →
- Who does S79 affect?
- Law enforcement agencies within New York State are directly affected by the proposed prohibition on biometric surveillance technology. This also extends to technology providers that develop or supply such systems for government use, as their market for these specific applications in New York would be curtailed. Organizations involved in civil liberties and privacy advocacy are also within the scope of this legislative debate. Primary source →
- What are the key dates for S79?
- No fixed deadline — in committee Primary source →
- What is the current status of S79?
- As of the last published update, S79 is at the "committee" stage, with bill status "In Senate Committee". Primary source →
- Where can I find the primary source for S79?
- The primary source for the most recent update is at https://legislation.nysenate.gov/bills/2021/S79. AIGI publishes the full citation chain plus every approved brief on this bill. Primary source →
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