Six Things You Need To Know Before Collecting Biometric Information

1. Illinois and Texas recently enacted laws regulating the collection and use of biometric information (e., information based on an individual's biometric identifiers, such as iris scans, fingerprints, voiceprints, or facial geometry) and a number of other states, including New York and California, are considering adopting such statutes. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act ("BIPA") permits private rights of action and provides for statutory damages ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation. The Texas analog, entitled Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier ("CUBI"), is enforceable only by the state attorney general and permits civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation.