In a recent move to strengthen privacy laws in the United States, the state of California continues to expand privacy protections under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, now amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (the “CCPA”).
Regarded as one of the most comprehensive privacy laws in the country, the CCPA, in the recent days, has undergone further expansion. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law Assembly Bills 947 and 1194. These bills extend the protection for sensitive personal information about citizen or immigration status, encompassing reproductive health care services.
As reported by Mintz, the enactment of these bills emphasizes the state’s commitment to the protection of its residents’ privacy.
The CCPA, since its inception in 2018, has been subject to various amendments to broaden the scope of its protection. The Act allows Californians to know what personal data is being collected about them, know whether their personal data is sold or disclosed and to whom, say no to the sale of personal data, access their personal data, request a business to delete any personal information about a consumer collected from that consumer and not be discriminated against for exercising their privacy rights.
Expanding upon this, the recently signed Assembly bills add another layer of protection for residents of the state. The further fortification of these privacy laws set an example for comprehensive privacy legislation in the rest of the United States.
As corporate legal professionals, staying abreast with these advancements and understanding the scope and applications of the new amendments is crucial. Such understanding aids in achieving better compliance with these laws and ensuring the organizations they represent are adhering to these legal expectations.
With the continued development in privacy laws and protections, the landscape of internal data management and external data sharing within corporations is inevitably going to evolve – it is essential for corporations to adapt to these changes proactively.