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An amendment to the CCPA recently passed through the legislature, adding some much needed clarity to HIPAA-regulated entities, research institutions and other life science and medical device companies. CCPA in its current form left open uncertainty for business associates, de-identified information, and information collected in the course of medical research. AB 713 helps clarify certain exemptions and applicability of CCPA to organizations in the health and research space.…
Continue Reading CCPA Amendment Adds Needed Clarity for Medical & Research Community

The California AG has now released the final CCPA regulations, as approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).  The final draft (issued August 14, 2020) incorporates some relatively minor changes that the OAG submitted as part of its final rulemaking package, as summarized in its addendum to the final statement of reasons. In addition to generally “non-substantive” edits for consistency, etc. the OAG withdrew four sections (999.305(a)(5), 999.306(b)(2), 999.315(c), and 999.326(c)) from OAL review.…
Continue Reading CCPA Regulations Finally Approved, Effective Immediately

On June 1, 2020, the California AG submitted the final text of the proposed CCPA regulations to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). There were no changes to the final text from the last version released in March, which we previously summarized here.…
Continue Reading Final Draft CCPA Regulations Submitted, Effective Date Unclear

During COVID-19, in certain areas of the law, we have seen significant flexibility from regulators and government agencies in how they are addressing typical approval processes and/or compliance requirements. In the context of privacy and cybersecurity regulations, largely, regulators are emphasizing that personal privacy and data security are important now more than ever. New information is being collected and used in new ways. Certain data security vulnerabilities may be more prevalent in this work-from-home environment.…
Continue Reading Privacy and Data Protection Enactment and Enforcement Timelines During COVID-19

As we get settled into the reality of living with both CCPA and GDPR, companies are looking for new approaches for keeping their privacy houses in order. CCPA reminds us that there is no end to new legislation: proposals are already coming in from states as varied as Nebraska, New Hampshire and Virginia. Similar legislative trends exist around the globe. How can companies be prepared to address this ever shifting legislative landscape? There are a few essential steps privacy officers can take, including (1) aligning the privacy team’s efforts with the underlying corporate mission, (2) having a clear understanding of both the company’s data and its use practices, and (3) having infrastructure in place that will allow for updates to notices and rights.…
Continue Reading Getting Prepared for a Decade of Privacy

The Network Advertising Initiative, which provides guidance to advertisers who engage in personalized advertising, updated its Code of Conduct (2020 Code) earlier this year to address, inter alia, data collected offline and used for tailored advertising, as well as CCPA and TV-based tailored advertising. In anticipation of the January 1, 2020 effective date of the Code, the NAI recently issued a guidance on how to get “opt-in consent.” While the NAI Code and guidance is applicable only to NAI members, the requirements are important for all to know, since it is these members who typically implement companies’ online behavioral advertising.…
Continue Reading NAI’s 2020 Code Effective January 1 Along with CCPA

One of the amendments we’ve been watching over the past months is one that impacts rights of employees —both the company’s and other company’s employees. Under AB25, which passed the California Senate and is now awaiting governor signature, companies will be (for a year) exempted from providing current and former employees, job applicants, and contractors with the full suite of CCPA rights. Starting January 2020, however, these individuals must be provided with notice of information use. Access and deletion rights will not go into effect until January 2021.…
Continue Reading What To Do About Employees Under CCPA: An Update

California legislators have passed many bills to amend the California Consumer Protection Act since the law was passed. Last week there was significant developments in the status of those bills, as we reported. In addition to dropping the concept of a private right of action for non-breach matters, there are other key things to keep in mind. Some are good news for corporations, but some pending bills that would have helped clarify the law are not moving forward. On the pro-business side, employers and businesses that focus on handling employee data will be happy to learn of the revised definition to consumers. On the pro-consumer side, however, a bill was withdrawn that would have allowed the sharing of unique consumer identifiers for marketing purposes without being considered a “sale,” drawing a chorus of “shucks” from businesses alike. Keep reading for the details.…
Continue Reading Like a Butterfly, Will the CCPA Continue to Evolve?

Whether your favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz or The Princess Bride, we can all agree there is some good news about the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) this Friday afternoon! SB 561 appears to have (mostly) died in the Senate Appropriations Committee during a hearing held yesterday. While the act as originally drafted only provided for Attorney General enforcement (except for one section addressing data security breaches), SB 561 added a private right of action as well as statutory damages for any violation of the act. This amendment clearly would have significantly increased the risks of any failure to comply with CCPA, no matter how small. But remember the words of Miracle Max – “There’s a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive.” So while it is possible that another amendment could be introduced at a later date, for now at least, the act will likely remain as drafted with enforcement coming only from the AG’s office, except in data breaches.…
Continue Reading Ding Dong the CCPA Private Right of Action is (Mostly) Dead!

The Washington Privacy Act (SB 5376) is making its way through that state’s House after gaining nearly unanimous approval in the state Senate just weeks after being introduced. This bill promises to overhaul how Washington protects the personal information of its residents. The proposed Act closely mirrors the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) and is expressly modeled around the European General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR) that went into effect last May. Despite borrowing heavily from these current regimes, the Washington Act is adding its own twists on privacy standards.…
Continue Reading Washington State’s Comprehensive Privacy Law Bill Continues to Navigate Through State Legislature