Consumer Privacy Protection (S 234)

While we supported several provisions in this bill, which addressed the sale and maintenance of consumers’ personal information by businesses, we noted that the legislation could have been strengthened in two ways in order to more effectively protect consumers. First, we emphasized the benefits of an opt-in procedure over an opt-out procedure for consumers deciding whether or not to have their data shared, as opt-in procedures are more transparent and intentional. We also offered suggestions to strengthen the remedies for violations of the law, including the ability for a successful plaintiff to recover attorneys’ fees when bringing suit. This bill died in committee.