US Democrats revive federal biometric surveillance moratorium bill

Sen. Edward Markey and fellow Democrats reintroduced legislation barring federal agencies from using facial recognition and other biometric surveillance systems. The bill broadens definitions of biometrics and would cut Byrne JAG funding for non-compliant states and localities.

• Bill bars federal agencies from acquiring or using biometric surveillance systems
• Prohibition covers data from third-party, state and private systems
• Moratorium could only be lifted by a new act of Congress
• States and localities would lose Byrne JAG grants without compliance