No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2021

To prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology in certain federally assisted dwelling units, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2021 2. Prohibition on biometric identification technology (a) In general At any time after the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on the date of the 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, physical biometric recognition technology, or remote biometric recognition technology in such dwelling unit or in any building or grounds containing such dwelling unit. (b) Definitions For the purposes of this Act: (1) Assistance The term assistance (2) 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 et seq. (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 (3) Facial recognition technology The term facial recognition technology (4) Owner The term owner (5) Physical biometric recognition technology The term physical biometric recognition technology (6) 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 Financial Services of the House of Representative and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and make available to the public on the website of the Department, a report that describes— (1) any known usage of facial recognition technology, physical biometric recognition technology, or remote biometric recognition technology in any covered federally assisted dwelling unit during the 5 years preceding the date of enactment of this Act; (2) the impact of such technology on the residents of such covered federally assisted rental dwelling units; (3) the purpose of installing such technologies in such covered federally assisted rental dwelling units; (4) demographic information about the residents of each covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit where such usage occurred; and (5) the potential impacts on vulnerable communities of additional usage of facial recognition technology, physical biometric recognition technology, or remote biometric recognition technology 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 2021 This bill prohibits owners of certain federally assisted rental units from using facial recognition, physical biometric recognition, or remote biometric recognition technology in any units or in any building or on any grounds containing such a unit. Within one year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development must report on any known use of such technology in federally assisted rental units in the preceding five years.