The bill outlines the requirements and limitations imposed on law enforcement agencies regarding facial recognition searches, as established by the Act Relative to Justice, Equity and Accountability in Law Enforcement in the Commonwealth. Effective July 1, 2021, law enforcement agencies must submit written requests for facial recognition searches based on specific justifications, such as a court order or emergency situations. The bill mandates that these agencies document and report various details about each search, including the date, number of matches, and the reason for the request, to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) on a quarterly basis. This documentation is not considered a public record.

Additionally, the EOPSS is required to publish an annual report on its website that includes aggregated data from the quarterly reports submitted by law enforcement agencies. This report must detail the total number of facial recognition search requests and searches performed, both by state police and in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The bill also includes specific insertions of legal language that clarify the documentation requirements and the nature of the requests made by various law enforcement agencies, ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of facial recognition technology.