Photo of Kathryn Smith

Kathryn Smith

Subscribe to Kathryn Smith's Posts

Kathryn (“Katie”) Smith is an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm's Chicago office and a member of the Privacy and Cybersecurity Team. She is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) for CIPP/US.

Contact:Read more about Kathryn Smith

Rhode Island’s new privacy law has now passed into law, adding to the constantly evolving US privacy law patchwork. Rhode Island becomes the 20th state to enact a “comprehensive” privacy law (this one passing by default, without governor signature). It will go into effect on January 1, 2026, the same day as Indiana and Kentucky. For a recap of all of the US state privacy laws, including their obligations and effective dates, visit our interactive tool.Continue Reading Rhode Island, the Ocean State, Sails the Privacy Waves

As we enter into the heart of the summer there is no time to relax in privacy-land with the next batch of “comprehensive” privacy laws coming into effect on July 1. Namely, those in Texas and Oregon (and Florida if you count it as “comprehensive”). These states will join those already in effect in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and Virginia. (For a recap of effective dates and requirements, visit our tracker.)Continue Reading It’s (Almost) July 1!: Did You Remember Oregon and Texas (and Florida)’s New Privacy Laws?

Minnesota’s governor has now signed into law that state’s comprehensive privacy law. For those keeping count – that is number 19 of state “comprehensive” privacy laws, with six in 2024 alone. The Minnesota law will go into effect on July 31, 2025, thirty days after Tennessee’s.Continue Reading The Land of 10,000 Lakes Adds New Consumer Privacy Law: Minnesota Joins Privacy Fray

Tennessee recently amended its 1984 right of publicity statute with passage of the ELVIS Act. The existing law already protected individuals’ rights in their image and likeness. As amended, the statute will specifically call out voice as another protected element. It will become the first right of publicity statute to address copying someone’s likeness or voice with AI technologies in two ways.Continue Reading Tennessee’s ELVIS Act Incorporates AI Considerations into Right of Publicity Protections

Maryland’s new comprehensive data privacy law, the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act, was recently signed into law by Governor Moore. This brings the total number of state “comprehensive” privacy laws to 18, five of which have been passed in 2024. Maryland’s law will take effect in 2025 along with several others. Maryland’s effective date is October 1, 2025 (after Tennessee (July 1, 2025) and before Indiana and Kentucky (January 1, 2026)). For a full list of effective dates, as well as other details of these state privacy laws, visit our resource page.Continue Reading Maryland, the Old Line State, Creates New Lines with Consumer Privacy Law

May 1 is a busy privacy day in Utah, with not only updates to the breach notification and social media platforms and minors laws going into effect, but also a new AI law, and one in the vehicle space. This last, the Utah Motor Vehicle Data Protection Act, has a narrow scope. It impacts “dealer data systems,” i.e., systems used by car dealerships to house consumer information.Continue Reading May 1 Brings Another Privacy Law to the Beehive State: The Utah Motor Vehicle Data Protection Act

The Utah legislature has been busy, with another law effective May 1. This one is “privacy adjacent” but worth keeping in mind. The law, the Artificial Intelligence Policy Act, was signed into law in March. Among other things, it will require companies to respond “clearly and conspicuously” to an individual who asks if they are interacting with artificial intelligence and the communications are made in connection with laws regulated by the Utah department of commerce. (This includes the Utah Privacy Act, the state’s sales practices law, its telephone solicitation laws, and many others.)Continue Reading Utah’s New AI Disclosure Requirements Effective May 1

Nebraska’s governor has now signed into law the state’s “comprehensive” privacy law making it the fourth one this year, and the 17th overall. It will take effect on January 1, 2025 – the same day as Delaware, Iowa, and New Hampshire. (For a round-up of all of the recent state privacy laws visit our new online resource.)Continue Reading Nebraska Fourth State to Enact Privacy Law in 2024

With the Kentucky governor recently signing into law that state’s privacy law the US now has 16 states with “comprehensive” privacy laws. This newest one will go into effect on January 1, 2026 – the same day as Indiana. It closely resembles other state privacy laws, in particular, Virginia’s privacy law. For a recap of all of the US state privacy laws and their obligations you can visit our interactive tool.Continue Reading Kentucky’s New Consumer Privacy Law: Is the Privacy Grass Greener in the Bluegrass State?

New Hampshire’s governor has signed into law the second state comprehensive privacy law of 2024. The law takes effect on January 1, 2025 – the same day as Iowa and Delaware (with New Jersey going into effect two weeks later). The law closely resembles other state privacy laws.Continue Reading New Hampshire, the Granite State, Joins Privacy Law Deluge: Sets Its Law in Stone