This bill prohibits law enforcement agencies in New Jersey from using facial recognition technology as the sole basis for establishing probable cause when applying for an arrest warrant. The legislation defines facial recognition technology as any technology that identifies a person from an image or video based on physical characteristics and clarifies that law enforcement agencies include any state, county, or municipal entities involved in criminal law enforcement.

The intent behind this bill is to mitigate the risk of wrongful arrests, particularly given studies indicating that facial recognition technology is less accurate for identifying people of color and women. By restricting the use of this technology as the only means of establishing probable cause, the bill aims to promote the use of traditional identification methods, thereby enhancing fairness and integrity within the criminal justice system. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.