Following some postponement, Delaware’s governor has officially signed into law the state’s comprehensive data privacy law. This noteworthy development positions Delaware as the thirteenth state in the U.S. to institute such a law.
This is the seventh law of its type that has been enacted in 2023, following similar legislation enacted in Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Montana, Florida, and Oregon. The newly enacted Delaware law will come into force in less than two years’ time – on January 1, 2025.
The bill was initially approved by Delaware’s congress at the culmination of June and then transmitted to the governor’s office for his signature on June 30, 2023. However, the governor did not provide his assent until this week.
The development of such privacy-centric legislation is a significant step in reshaping how personal data protection is viewed and handled within state jurisdictions. Given the international focus on data privacy issues – such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – American states are increasingly turning their attention towards enacting robust data protection laws.
This slow, yet steady, shift towards stronger data privacy protections within individual states is a trend legal professionals must keep an eye on in their operations and compliance efforts. As data-security laws strengthen and expand across the country, corporations and law firms will inevitably need to adapt their practices accordingly to ensure strict compliance with these evolving regulations.
For more information about Delaware’s comprehensive privacy law, please visit this link.