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Bill

HF 3661

Acquisition and use of facial recognition technology by government entities prohibited.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sandra Feist and 2 co-sponsors

Minnesota bill bans state and local government agencies from acquiring and using facial recognition technology for surveillance, identification, or monitoring purposes.

Author added Feist
#datapracticesandprivacy #governmentaloperations-state #publicsafetydepartment #stateagenciesanddepartments
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 3661

Legislative bill overview

HF 3661 would prohibit Minnesota government entities from acquiring and using facial recognition technology. The bill aims to prevent surveillance overreach by restricting state and local agencies from deploying this technology for identification, tracking, or monitoring purposes.

Why is this important

Facial recognition technology raises significant civil liberties concerns, including risks of misidentification (particularly for people of color), privacy violations, and potential chilling effects on freedom of movement and assembly. This legislation reflects growing national concern about government surveillance capabilities and their disproportionate impact on marginalized communities.

Potential points of contention

  • Law enforcement opposition: Police and security agencies may argue the technology is essential for public safety, solving crimes, and locating missing persons
  • Implementation gaps: The bill may face questions about what constitutes "facial recognition," whether private contractors using the technology on government contracts are covered, and how to handle federal requirements
  • Economic/operational impact: Government agencies may claim compliance costs are high and that alternatives are less efficient for legitimate identification and verification purposes
  • Definition ambiguity: Legislators may debate whether the prohibition extends to related technologies like facial feature analysis or emotional recognition systems

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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