Ark. Committee Approves Amendments to Kids Online Privacy Protection Bill
Three amendments to a bill that would ban tech companies from collecting, retaining and disclosing minors' data, except in a few outlined situations, passed by a voice vote in the Arkansas House Aging, Children and Youth & Legislative Affairs Committee Monday. Rep. Zack Gramlich (R), one of the bill's sponsors, said the amendments served to clarify language and definitions in the bill.
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Amendment one was a technical clarification, while amendment two was "a little bit more substantive," Gramlich said. It helped clarify consent, disclosure, when it was or was not acceptable to collect information from minors. In addition, it added clarification to third party and processor, he said. Gramlich said the third amendment outlined situations where information would need to be collected and kept for kids' safety, as well as gave the attorney general enforcement powers.
Sponsored by a bipartisan group of representatives and senators, HB-1717 would create The Arkansas Children And Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act. The state introduced several kids online safety bills this session, including a kids code bill (see 2503180049), a comprehensive privacy bill (see 2504030006) and a bill that would amend an enjoined social media act (see 2504080058). The comprehensive privacy bill, however, has failed to get enough votes to pass twice (see 2504110032).