Official Text and Analysis.

Requires state or local government agencies to develop an accountability report and an annual report that meet certain requirements on the use of a facial recognition service.

Clarifies the user of a facial recognition service in the definitions of facial recognition service, persistent tracking, and recognition. Exempts services that grant or deny access to an electronic device or that process for the purpose of redacting a recording from the definition of facial recognition service. Provides definitions for identification and verification. Requires the accountability report to include protocols regarding security breach notification requirements under current law and information related to a facial recognition service such as rates of false matches.

Veto Message: Section 10 establishes a legislative task force on facial recognition services with the purpose of: providing recommendations addressing the potential abuses and threats posed by the use of facial recognition services, while also addressing how to facilitate and encourage the continued development of these services; providing recommendations regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of applicable Washington state laws; and conducting a study on the quality, accuracy, and efficacy of a service. While the purpose of this task force is very important, it was not funded in the budget. I recommend that the Legislature engage the Ruckelshaus Center in preparing a situation assessment that would inform policy recommendations on facial recognition technologies. Such an assessment would answer many questions about how best to proceed, and could better inform the creation of a task force in a subsequent legislative session. For these reasons I have vetoed Section 10 of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 6280.