AI Frontier Institute

EDUCATION-TECH

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Illinois SB0415 amends the School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-20.40 and 105 ILCS 5/34-18.34) to tighten restrictions on how school districts collect and use student biometric information—defined as data gathered through fingerprint, hand geometry, voice, facial recognition, or iris/retinal scans. The bill adds definitions for 'biometric system' and 'facial recognition' and introduces two new subsections (a-5 and a-10). Under subsection (a-5), school districts are prohibited from purchasing or acquiring biometric systems for use on students except for legitimate instructional purposes, as determined by the district. Under subsection (a-10), by the 2027-2028 school year, all biometric systems used by a district must be limited to legitimate instructional purposes, with biometric data used solely for identification or fraud prevention within that context. Biometric systems built into school-issued devices for identification or fraud prevention qualify as legitimate instructional purposes. Existing contracts entered into before January 1, 2027 are grandfathered as long as they are not extended or rolled over; districts with such contracts must provide written notice by the 2027-2028 school year to parents or eligible students of their right to discontinue use of biometric data. Contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2027 that conflict with these provisions are void. Existing required policies for districts that do collect biometric data are retained and clarified: written parental or student consent is required; data must be discontinued upon graduation, withdrawal, or written request; all biometric data must be destroyed within 30 days of discontinuation; data may only be sold or disclosed with consent or by court order; and data must be securely stored. Denial of consent cannot be grounds to refuse services to a student. The bill preserves districts' obligations under federal law, including IDEA and Section 504.

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