Colorado’s SB25-143 is now headed to Gov. Jared Polis after clearing the Colorado General Assembly on April 4, 2025.
The measure lifts an existing moratorium on new use of facial recognition technology – for certain applications – by Colorado public schools that has been in place since 2022, while extending the prohibition applicable to all other uses past July 1, when it is currently set to expire.
Use of the technology in schools
Colorado school districts have successfully used facial recognition technology for years
As originally drafted, the measure would have imposed a complete prohibition on the use of the technology in K-12 schools – drawing immediate opposition from the Colorado school community, which pressed for changes throughout the legislative process.
Colorado school districts have successfully used facial recognition technology for years as an added line of defense and an enhanced tool for student safety.
Importance of the technology in key limited applications
Throughout 2023 and 2024, school district representatives had provided extensive information to the Colorado General Assembly’s Task Force for the Consideration of Facial Recognition Services regarding the importance of the technology in key limited applications.
Evidence of facial recognition’s effectiveness were provided during testimony on the bill in the House and Senate education committees. For example, one technology expert from one Colorado district relayed a scenario in which the technology was used in response to previous incidents to help ensure school personnel knew if a specific special needs child tried to abruptly exit and wander away the building – in time to intervene and prevent endangerment from a nearby busy highway.
School safety and security purposes
Authorises school districts to use facial recognition technology for academic purposes authorised by local boards
As a result of these efforts, SB25-143, as passed by the legislature, authorises school districts to use facial recognition technology for educational purposes approved by local school boards, as well as for narrowly defined school safety and security purposes.
Those purposes include 1) alerting staff to the presence of individuals who have made threats of violence against a school, 2) helping to immediately locate missing children on school grounds or help determine their whereabouts and 3) providing alerts to staff in common situations where specific individuals are prohibited from entering school grounds under a court order or district determination.
Importance of advanced technologies
“We commend the bill sponsors for recognising the importance of advanced technologies that are increasingly critical to greater school safety and security,” said Jake Parker, senior director of government relations with the Security Industry Association (SIA).
“It is essential that we ensure our school security professionals can responsibly leverage such technologies to best protect students, teachers and staff using proven best practices.”
Use of facial recognition technology by schools
With the enactment of the measure, Colorado would remain the only U.S. state with statutory restrictions specific to the use of facial recognition technology by schools.
“Additionally, we are pleased that SIA was included to participate in Colorado’s Facial Recognition Task Force as it considered these issues and will continue to provide subject matter expertise from the security industry on this important technology,” said Parker.
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