State bills on child online safety received key committee OKs in several states this week. Kids privacy has been a focus for state legislatures this year (see 2501170053).
Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) would lack the resources to enforce Maryland privacy laws without a proposed tax on data brokers that would fund a dedicated privacy team in his office, he said during a state House Economic Matters Committee hearing Tuesday. During a livestreamed session, the panel heard testimony on HB-1089, which would require that data brokers register with the state and, starting in the 2027 tax year, pay a 6% tax on gross income.
The FTC would work productively with state attorneys general on privacy enforcement if Congress granted the authority in a federal privacy law, FTC nominee Mark Meador told the Senate Commerce Committee during his confirmation hearing Tuesday.
House Commerce Committee Republicans on Friday requested public input on potential federal privacy legislation. The elimination of a private right of action, preemption of state privacy and AI laws and conflicts with existing federal law were among the topics Republicans outlined in their request for information (RFI).
What constitutes a “covered business” under Vermont’s proposed Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) Act dominated arguments at a Senate Insitutions Committee hearing Friday.
A Washington state kids privacy bill needs more work but should advance, House Consumer Protection Committee Chair Amy Walen (D) said Friday. The panel voted 9-6 to clear HB-1834 at a livestreamed executive session.
The Virginia legislature passed kids social media and student privacy bills on Thursday. The Senate voted 39-0 to agree with House substitutes on SB-854 and SB-1486. The House voted 97-0 and 98-0, respectively, for the bills earlier that day.
The Washington Senate Business Committee cleared a kids privacy bill (SB-5708) in a voice vote Thursday, despite Republican dissent.
The South Carolina House passed a kids social media bill requiring age verification Thursday. Members voted 89-14 to send H-3431 to the Senate.
Policy debates about age verification methods and privacy should be informed by recent developments in technology, not the assumption that privacy and security are always at odds, Luke Hogg, director of technology policy, and Evan Swarztrauber, senior fellow, Foundation for American Innovation, said in a research paper posted Tuesday.