Hearing in Saxony: Still many construction sites in police law amendment

**Saxony's Police Law Reform Faces Scrutiny Over AI and Reality Check** A public hearing in the Saxon state parliament highlighted significant challenges facing a proposed revision of the state's police law, particularly concerning its compatibility with the EU's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act and practical realities. Legal experts voiced concerns that certain provisions might conflict with the new AI regulations, potentially jeopardizing their implementation. A police union representative also raised alarms about the risk of discriminatory software being deployed under the new framework. The proposed legislation aims to introduce expanded police powers, including facial recognition for surveillance footage, internet-based facial searches, and automated data analysis. While a majority of legal experts presented to the committee indicated that the draft largely addresses constitutional concerns previously raised by the judiciary, several critical aspects remain unresolved. Notably, the law's provisions for hypothetical data re-acquisition, allowing for the repurposing of collected data for new objectives, were deemed insufficiently defined by some jurists. Concerns were amplified regarding the potential conflicts with the EU's AI Act, especially concerning the proposed use of biometric remote identification technologies. Experts questioned whether the draft law's stipulations for real-time facial recognition and database matching align with the AI Act's stringent requirements for high-risk AI systems. The ongoing legislative process underscores the complex interplay between national security aspirations and evolving European digital policy frameworks.