DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 191 Original 2021 Regular Session McMahen
Abstract: Prohibits parishes, municipalities, and fire protection districts from requesting,
collecting, or maintaining the biometric data of fire employees.
Proposed law provides that a fire employee cannot be required to disclose his biometric data as a
condition of his employment or during the course of his employment. Prohibits parishes,
municipalities, and fire protection districts from requesting, collecting, or maintaining the biometric
data of fire employees. Requires that the data in the possession of a parish, municipality, or fire
protection district be destroyed in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the fire employee no
later than Jan. 1, 2022.
Present law provides that the term "biometric data" means data generated by automatic
measurements of an individual's biological characteristics that is used by the owner or licensee to
uniquely authenticate an individual's identity when the individual accesses a system or account.
Proposed law provides that the term has the same meaning for purposes of proposed law. Further
provides that the term "fire employee" means any person employed in the fire department of any
municipality, parish, or fire protection district maintaining a full-time regularly paid fire department.
The term also includes any person employed by a nonprofit corporation that is under contract with
a fire protection district or other political subdivision to provide fire protection services.
(Adds R.S. 33:2012.1)