Delaware (July 31, 2019) and New Hampshire (August 2, 2019) have become the latest states to add to the insurance cybersecurity landscape by enacting information security laws. These laws come on the heels of Connecticut’s law enacted a few days earlier. Notably, while Connecticut followed the New York Department of Financial Services’ 2017 Cybersecurity
Malia K. Rogers
Analyzing the California Consumer Privacy Act’s Private Right of Action
For good reason, there has been much discussion about the new privacy rights created by the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), which becomes effective January 1, 2020. Perhaps one of the most significant provisions of the CCPA, though, will be one that has been somewhat overlooked: Section 1798.150, which provides for statutory damages of between $100 and $750 per consumer per incident for certain data breaches. Indeed, had California enacted Section 1798.150 alone, it would have garnered scores of articles on how its statutory damages remedy will likely lead to an explosion in “bet-the-company” private class action litigation over data breaches. The fact that it was enacted as just one provision in a first-in-the-nation privacy law has resulted in commentators spending less time analyzing its impact on businesses.
We will try to remedy this by taking a look at this provision and analyzing how it will apply to businesses covered by the CCPA. We begin by discussing existing California laws that are referenced in the CCPA’s private right of action. We then track the private right of action through its various forms, starting with the ballot measure and ending with its current version as reflected in Senate Bill 1121. Finally, we discuss how the private right of action likely will be used by private litigants and what steps businesses should take to avoid costly litigation.
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GLBA and the California Privacy Act: Analyzing SB 1121’s Change to the Financial Institution Carve-Out Provision
Less than three months after California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1121 this week, making a number of technical and substantive changes to the law.
Of particular note: SB 1121 modifies the financial institution carve-out language in CCPA section 1798.145(e). While the change is a welcome development for entities subject to regulation under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), it does not grant full exemption from the CCPA. Therefore, GLBA-regulated entities that collect information online will need to analyze the CCPA’s requirements and how they apply to a specific business.
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California Passes Legislation Significantly Changing Privacy Requirements for Entities Doing Business in the State
As we discussed in our prior alert, California voters had been poised to consider a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would have significantly expanded the privacy rights of California citizens and provided substantial penalties for noncompliant companies. In response to that ballot measure, the California legislature hastily pushed through privacy legislation despite the “grave, grave concerns” expressed by lawmakers.
Lawmakers were willing to enact the flawed legislation based on an assurance from the leader of the ballot measure that he would not submit the measure if the legislation was passed. However, because the deadline to submit ballot measures was June 28, 2018, lawmakers had to rush the legislation through both houses. And, since state law requires that legislation be in print for at least 72 hours before a vote, lawmakers had no opportunity to offer amendments.
Lawmakers were willing to engage in such a rushed course of action because, if the ballot measure had become law, both houses would have been required to approve any changes by a 70 percent vote instead of a simple majority. Also, because the legislation does not go into effect until January 1, 2020, lawmakers theoretically can fix any problems in the intervening time frame.
Despite its tumultuous legislative history, the legislation—titled the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018—grants significant privacy rights to California residents. Any entity that does business in California and qualifies as a “business” under the Act will need to comply with the law or risk substantial financial penalty.
California Voters Likely to Consider Enacting GDPR-Like Privacy Law in November
With more than double the number of required signatures well ahead of the verification deadline late this month, the citizen-initiated measure “The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018” appears headed for the statewide ballot on November 6. If approved by a majority of Golden State voters, the ballot measure would greatly expand right-to-know and opt-out requirements, subjecting covered businesses to increased costs for compliance and strict liability for any violations.
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