The use of facial recognition security systems in New York schools is now illegal, after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a temporary ban on their use Tuesday.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Monica P. Wallace, D-Cheektowaga, would require the Lockport City School District to turn off the 300 digital cameras it installed to feed images to facial recognition software in its buildings.
A new year also marked the start of a new era for security efforts in Lockportâs public
The district won state Education Department approval for the system late last year and activated it Jan. 2.
The new law temporarily blocks the use of what it calls "biometric identifying technology" in all schools â public, nonpublic and charter.