Santa Clara County Surveillance Ordinance
Santa Clara County Surveillance-Technology and Community-Safety Ordinance
Santa Clara County, CA · Santa Clara County, Cal., Ordinance Code div. A40 (NS-300.897, 2016)
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- All County of Santa Clara departments, including the Sheriff's Office
- Enforced by
- Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors; County Privacy Office
Santa Clara County passed the nation's first county-level surveillance oversight law in 2016. County departments must get Board of Supervisors approval, publish a surveillance use policy, and file an impact report before acquiring surveillance technology, plus annual reports afterward. Still actively administered by the County Privacy Office.
Who is protected: Santa Clara County residents
Legal detail
Santa Clara County Ordinance Code Division A40 (NS-300.897, 2016) requires Board approval of Surveillance Use Policies, Anticipated Surveillance Impact Reports before acquisition, and Annual Surveillance Reports due by November 1.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Santa Clara County, CA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | June 7, 2016 |
| Citation | Santa Clara County, Cal., Ordinance Code div. A40 (NS-300.897, 2016) |
| Topics | consumer data privacy · police and surveillance AI · government use of AI · AI disclosure and transparency · biometric data · facial recognition · data retention |
| Agency page | Surveillance Technology and Community Safety Ordinance — County of Santa Clara |
More AI rules in Santa Clara County, CA
Related consumer data privacy rules elsewhere
- Vermont Data Broker Law (H.211) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for location… · Blocked / in litigation
- House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare companies · Proposed / pending
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Maine LD 61 (employer surveillance disclosure & prohibition) · In effect
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.