-A bill that would prohibit police from using face recognition technology as the sole reason for search or arrest is advancing in the state legislature with unanimous support.

Supporters say the proposal is a step forward, but more than 50 advocacy organizations and Black men around the country who have been falsely accused by face recognition tech are speaking out against the bill.

If AB 1814 is signed into law, police would be required to use more evidence than just a possible face recognition match to justify arresting or searching someone.

San Francisco Assemblymember Phil Ting introduced the proposal.

-This actually takes a good first step to really provide some security, to provide some civil rights protections, and to ensure that we take the first step to regulate facial recognition technology.

-While Ting argues more checks and balances on face recognition will make a difference, more than 50 advocacy organizations, including the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, called AB 1814 a, "woefully inadequate Band-Aid" in a letter opposing the bill.

The groups that signed the letter point to multiple wrongful arrests, especially of Black men, in which face recognition played a part.

Nijeer Parks is one of three falsely identified Black men who have spoken out against the bill.

He was able to prove through a Western Union receipt that he was at a different location at the time of the offense, but says he was lucky, and AB 1814 wouldn't have protected him.

-I think it's very important.

This is a very good first step.

As many things that we do here, it's the first step.

It's not the last step.

I would urge the committee for an aye vote on AB 1814.

Lawmakers have until the end of the legislative session in August to decide whether to pass AB 1814.

For CalMatters, I'm Khari Johnson.