Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits employers from using facial, gait, and emotion recognition technology to surveil workers in California.

Highlights:

• Prohibits employers from using workplace surveillance tools that do any of the following (Sec. 1):

• Prevents compliance with or violates any federal, state, or local labor, occupational health and safety, employment, or civil rights laws or regulations;

• Identifies, profiles, or infers information about workers engaging in activity protected by state or federal law; or

• Incorporates any of the following technologies:

• Emotion recognition technology;

• Facial recognition, unless it is used strictly to open a locked device or grant access to locked or secured areas;

• Gait recognition technology; or

• Neural data collection.

• Prohibits employers from using workplace surveillance tools to infer a worker’s protected status (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the Labor Commissioner to enforce this law, including investigating alleged violations and ordering appropriate temporary relief to mitigate a violation or maintain the status quo pending the completion of a full investigation or hearing (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this act applies to all cities including charter cities (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text