No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2019

To prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics in certain federally assisted rental dwelling units, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2019 2. Prohibition on biometric identification technology (a) In general On and after the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, an owner of a covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit may not use, or authorize the use of, facial recognition technology and biometric analytics, physical biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics, or remote biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics in the dwelling unit or in any building or grounds containing the dwelling unit. (b) Definitions In this Act: (1) Assistance The term assistance (A) means any grant, loan, subsidy, contract, cooperative agreement, or other form of financial assistance; and (B) does not include the insurance or guarantee of a loan, mortgage, or pool of loans or mortgages. (2) Biometric analytics The term biometric analytics (3) Covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit The term covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit (A) the public housing program under the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437 (B) the program for supportive housing for persons with disabilities under section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 8013 (C) the program for supportive housing for the elderly under section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 ( 12 U.S.C. 1701q (D) the program for project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437f (4) Facial recognition technology The term facial recognition technology (5) Owner The term owner (6) Physical biometric recognition technology The term physical biometric recognition technology (7) Remote biometric recognition technology The term remote biometric recognition technology 3. Report to Congress Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, and make available to the public on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a report that describes— (1) any known usage of facial recognition technology and biometric analytics, physical biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics, or remote biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics in any covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit during the 5 years preceding the date of enactment of this Act; (2) the impact of those technologies and biometric analytics on the residents of those covered federally assisted rental dwelling units; (3) the purpose of installing those technologies and biometric analytics in those covered federally assisted rental dwelling units; (4) demographic information about the residents of each covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit where the usage of those technologies and biometric analytics occurred; and (5) the potential impacts on vulnerable communities of additional usage of facial recognition technology and biometric analytics, physical biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics, or remote biometric recognition technology and biometric analytics in covered federally assisted rental dwelling units, including impacts on resident privacy, civil rights, and fair housing.

Summary: No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2019 This bill prohibits owners of certain federally assisted rental units from using biometric analytics in connection with facial recognition, physical biometric recognition, or remote biometric recognition technology in any units, buildings, or grounds of such project. Within one year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must report on any known use of such technology in federal assisted rental units in the preceding five years.