State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Connecticut > Title17b > Chap319o > Sec17b-30Sec. 17b-30. Biometric identifier system. (a) For purposes of this section, "biometric identifier system" means a system which allows for the recognition of an individual through retinal scanning, finger-imaging, hand geometry or facial recognition. The Commissioner of Social Services and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall examine available biometric identifier systems and to the greatest extent possible, select a system which is compatible with the systems of surrounding states. The Commissioner of Social Services may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide the hardware, software, equipment maintenance, technical training and other resources deemed necessary by the commissioner to establish said system.
(b) At the conclusion or cancellation of the contract entered into pursuant to the memorandum of understanding in subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Social Services may extend the contract for not more than one year, provided, no later than one year after such conclusion or cancellation, the commissioner shall issue a request for proposals for providing the hardware, software, equipment maintenance, technical training and other resources deemed necessary by the commissioner to maintain or improve said system. The subsequent contract for providing the resources for said system shall be awarded pursuant to section 4a-59 and shall begin no later than one year after such conclusion or cancellation.
(c) Said system shall be utilized for office use only in the following programs: (1) Temporary family assistance; and (2) any other program to be determined at the discretion of the Commissioner of Social Services.
(d) A recipient of a program utilizing said system pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall participate in said system or be subject to disqualification from such program. The commissioner shall have the authority to exempt a recipient from participation in said system.
(e) The implementation of said system shall begin on or before January 1, 1996. The schedule of such implementation shall be determined by the Commissioner of Social Services.
(f) Biometric identifier information obtained pursuant to subsection (d) of this section shall be the proprietary information of the Department of Social Services and shall not be released or made available to any agency or organization and shall not be used for any purpose other than identification or fraud prevention in this or any other state, except that such information may be made available to the office of the Chief State's Attorney if necessary for the prosecution of fraud discovered pursuant to the biometric identifier system established in subsection (a) of this section or in accordance with section 17b-90. The penalty for a violation of this subsection shall be up to a five-thousand-dollar fine or five years' imprisonment or both and the cost of prosecution.
(g) The Commissioner of Social Services shall report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on or before January 1, 1997, and annually thereafter, through January 1, 2004, the following information: (1) The number of recipients participating in said system; (2) the number of recipients whose benefits have been discontinued due to their failure to participate in said system; (3) the cost of implementation and operation of said system; (4) the amount of savings attributed to the establishment and operation of said system; and (5) the compatibility of said system with biometric systems being utilized in surrounding states. The commissioner shall issue a final report on the implementation of a biometric identifier system not later than January 1, 2004.
(P.A. 95-194, S. 28, 33; 95-351, S. 27, 30; P.A. 96-176, S. 4; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 23, 165; P.A. 03-268, S. 4; P.A. 04-76, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 95-194, S. 28 effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 95-351 amended Subsec. (b) by providing that the biometric identifier system shall be utilized for office use only, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 96-176 inserted new Subsec. (b) authorizing one-year contract extension and requiring commissioner thereafter to issue request for proposals for maintenance or improvement of biometric identifier system, relettered former Subsecs. (b) to (e), inclusive, as Subsecs. (c) to (f), inclusive, respectively, and added Subsec. (g) re annual report by Commissioner of Social Services; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 amended Subsec. (c) to replace a reference to aid to families with dependent children with temporary family assistance, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 03-268 amended Subsec. (g) to provide that final report on implementation of biometric identifier system shall be issued not later than January 1, 2004; P.A. 04-76 deleted Subsec. (c)(1) re "general assistance" and redesignated former Subsecs. (c)(2) and (c)(3) as new Subsecs. (c)(1) and (c)(2).
