Who should pay for public sector biometrics?

CALIFORNIA: Bill could boost vehicle fees for fingerprint ID programs (Manteca Bulletin)

Counties will be allowed to increase vehicle registration fees to pay for fingerprint identification programs under a bill that advanced to the governor’s desk Monday.

A law passed in 1997 created the Cal-ID program, allowing counties to charge $1 surcharges on vehicle registration fees to fund programs to identify people under arrest and human remains with fingerprints. Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, says his bill will help the programs keep up with advancements in technology.

This article caught my eye, because these kinds of biometric systems can really help save a lot of law enforcement resources especially in a state as large as California. These systems however, do cost money.

Facial recognition ID’s another 40-year fugitive

Suspected NC fugitive from 1970s arrested in Iowa (LaCrosse Tribune)

According to authorities, the man they believe is Carnes moved to Waterloo from Washington state in the summer of 2013. Where he lived before that is a mystery.

Carnes

On July 12, he used the name William Henry Cox to obtain a vehicle title. Then on March 11, he used the identity of Louie Vance to apply for an Iowa driver’s license.

Investigators became suspicious when the Iowa Department of Transportation’s biometric facial recognition program sent up red flags about his driver’s license. The system records the distances between facial features and stores them on a computerized database to compare with measurements on other photos in the system.

See also from March 15…
A promising data point for the durability of facial recognition biometrics

Nigeria: Senate Committee Recommends Cessation of Biometric Central Motor Registry

New number plates: Senate slashes cost to N8,400 (Punch)
Among a host of other fee reductions associated with the regulation of motor vehicles, the Nigerian Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs has recommended that the Police cease implementation of the Biometric Central Motor Registry, saying that doing so would save vehicle owners N3,500 and avoid duplication and additional burdens on Nigerians.

For background, see: Police flagoff biometric registration of automobiles