FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johnson bill protects children�s biometric information

(STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX) � Sen. Karen Johnson�s bill prohibiting schools from collecting fingerprints and other biometric information from students passed the Senate K-12 Education Committee Wednesday. Johnson argues that biometric readers in schools jeopardizes student privacy, opens the threat of identity theft and poses a potential risk to the student�s safety.

�Every time you create a database with personal information, you have created a new target for identity thieves.� There is no reason to put a child at risk of identity theft by requiring them to provide a fingerprint every day in order to eat lunch,� Johnson, who chairs the committee, said.

Senate Bill 1216 prohibits school districts and charter schools from collecting biometric information from pupils. Public schools nationally employ fingerprint readers to identify students for participation in food service programs and for automated payment and accounting of federal school lunch programs.

�The risks of using fingerprints or other biometric information for identification far outweigh any proposed benefits�� Fingerprints are forever.� They stay with you for life, and you can�t exchange them for a new set.� They should be protected and kept private, not placed into databases where numerous people have access to them,� said Johnson.

Biometrics is defined in the bill as fingerprints, hand geometry, voice recognition, facial recognition, iris scans and retinal scans.

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For more information, contact:

Laura Devany, Communications Advisor

Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus

Office: (602) 926-5418, e-mail: ldevany@azleg.gov

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