On October 8, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 947 into law. Set to take effect as of January 1, 2024, this new law significantly broadens the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)’s definition of “sensitive personal information.” Specifically, the revised language of the act will now include personal information revealing an individual’s citizenship or immigration status in that definition.
The extension of the CCPA’s purview to include immigration and citizenship status data implies that businesses will now face stricter obligations regarding the usage of this information. Consequently, compliance with these new regulations could impact the data handling procedures of businesses, especially those operating in sectors where the collection of such data is common – such as employers, financial institutions, landlords, and public entities.
This expansion of data categories under the sensitivity purview is likely to prompt concerns about privacy implications, as individuals may perceive a heightened risk of discrimination based on their citizenship or immigration status, especially in the current socio-political environment.
Nonetheless, this legislative amendment underscores the state’s commitment to consumer privacy protections and indicates an ongoing evolution in privacy law norms. It presents a potential challenge for businesses to adapt to continually changing privacy standards throughout the United States and globally.
Legal professionals are encouraged to review their organizations’ data privacy policies and business processes to ensure compliance with these updated terms of the CCPA.
For the full details of Assembly Bill (AB) 947, please visit here.