Cybersecurity Policy Report, New Data Privacy Bill Introduced in Pennsylvania Senate, (Jul 16, 2024)
Members of the Pennsylvania state Senate this week introduced a new bill intended to protect consumer data online and give consumers certain rights related to their personal data.
SB 1279, or the Consumer Data Privacy Act, “would empower consumers to know what personal information is being collected about them; know whether their personal information is sold or disclosed and to whom; decline or opt-out of the sale of their personal information; and access their personal information that has been collected,” said bill sponsors Sens. Maria Collett (D.) and Lisa Boscola (D.).
“Pennsylvanians’ rights to property and reputation are enshrined in our Commonwealth's constitution. However, in our 21st-century digital age, protecting our property and reputations are more difficult than ever before. Currently, Pennsylvanians are paying a steep price for the efficiencies of e-commerce, the information overload of the internet, and the connectivity of social media—and that price is our privacy and personal data. This is not sustainable,” they said.
The bill would also prohibit businesses from discriminating against consumers who choose to exercise their consumer privacy protection rights. Provisions of the bill would apply to any business with annual gross revenues of more than $10 million and that derives at least half of its revenue from selling consumers’ personal information to third parties.
The bill further addresses privacy rights of children by completely banning the sale of all private data of consumers under the age of 16.
The bill (S.B. 1279, Reg Sess.) empowers the state attorney general to bring civil action against non-compliant businesses. During the first six months the bill is effective, the attorney general would allow alleged violators 60 days to cure the violation before initiating an action. After Jan. 1, 2026, the attorney general would have the discretion to grant a business the opportunity to cure an alleged violation, according to the bill.
News: StateLegislation DataPrivacy