It is no secret that Illinois has some of, if not the, strictest laws related to the collection and use of individuals' biometric information. The state's Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), signed into law in 2008, prohibits companies from collecting, using, or storing a person's biometric information, such as fingerprints, unless the company gives adequate notice of the practice, obtains express written consent on an individual basis, and makes disclosures as specific by law. While a negligent violation carries a $1,000 per instance penalty, a reckless or even intentional violation has a $5,000 penalty for each incident.