Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

Hawaii Senate Bill SB1037 Compare Versions

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11 THE SENATE S.B. NO. 1037 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to consumer data protection. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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4747 SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to title 26 be appropriately designated and to read as follows: "Chapter CONSUMER DATA PROTECTION ACT § -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter: "Affiliate" means a legal entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another legal entity or shares common branding with another legal entity. As used in this definition, "control" or "controlled" means: (1) Ownership of, or the power to vote, more than fifty per cent of the outstanding shares of any class of voting security of a company; (2) Control in any manner over the election of a majority of the directors or of individuals exercising similar functions; or (3) Power to exercise controlling influence over the management of a company. "Authenticate" means to verify through reasonable means that a consumer attempting to exercise the consumer rights specified in section -3 is the actual consumer having the consumer rights with respect to the personal data at issue. "Biometric data" means data generated by automatic measurements of an individual's biological characteristics, including fingerprints, voiceprints, eye retinas, irises, or other unique biological patterns or characteristics that are used to identify a specific individual. "Biometric data" does not include a physical or digital photograph; a video or audio recording or data generated therefrom; or information collected, used, or stored for health care treatment, payment, or operations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. "Business associate" has the same meaning as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103. "Child" means any natural person younger than thirteen years of age. "Consent" means a clear affirmative act signifying a consumer's freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous agreement to allow the processing of personal data relating to the consumer. "Consent" includes a written statement, including a statement written by electronic means, or any other unambiguous affirmative action. "Consent" does not include: (1) Acceptance of general or broad terms of use or document containing general or broad descriptions of personal data processing along with other unrelated information; (2) Hovering over, muting, pausing, or closing a given piece of content; or (3) Agreement obtained through the use of dark patterns. "Consumer" means a natural person who is a resident of the State acting only in an individual or household context. "Consumer" does not include a natural person acting in a commercial or employment context. "Controller" means the natural or legal person that, alone or jointly with others, determines the purpose and means of processing personal data. "Covered entity" has the same meaning as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103. "Dark patterns" means a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of subverting or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice. "Dark patterns" includes any practice referred to by the Federal Trade Commission as a "dark pattern". "De-identified data" means data that cannot reasonably be linked to an identified or identifiable natural person or a device linked to the person. "Department" means the department of the attorney general. "Fund" means the consumer privacy special fund established pursuant to section -12. "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191, as amended. "Identified or identifiable natural person" means a natural person who may be readily identified, directly, or indirectly. "Institution of higher education" means: (1) The university of Hawaii system, or one of its campuses; or (2) A private college or university authorized to operate in the State pursuant to chapter 305J. "Nonprofit organization" means any: (1) Corporation incorporated pursuant to chapter 414D; (2) Organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3), (6), or (12) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; or (3) Electric utility cooperative association subject to chapter 421C. "Personal data" means any information that is linked or could be reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable natural person. "Personal data" does not include de‑identified data or publicly available information. "Precise geolocation data" means information derived from technology, including global positioning system level latitude and longitude coordinates or other mechanisms, that directly identifies the specific location of a natural person with precision and accuracy within a radius of 1,750 feet. "Precise geolocation data" does not include the content of communications or any data generated by, or connected to, advanced utility metering infrastructure systems or equipment for use by a utility. "Process" or "processing" means any operation or set of operations performed, whether by manual or automated means, on personal data or on sets of personal data, including the collection, use, storage, disclosure, analysis, deletion, or modification of personal data. "Processor" means a natural or legal person that processes personal data on behalf of a controller. "Profiling" means any form of automated processing performed on personal data to evaluate, analyze, or predict personal aspects related to an identified or identifiable natural person's economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements. "Pseudonymous data" means personal data that cannot be attributed to a specific natural person without the use of additional information that is: (1) Stored separately; and (2) Subject to appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable individual. "Publicly available information" means information that is lawfully made available through federal, state, or local government records, or information that a business has a reasonable basis to believe is lawfully made available to the general public through widely distributed media, by the consumer, or by a person to whom the consumer has disclosed the information, unless the consumer has restricted the information to a specific audience. "Sale of personal data" means the exchange of personal data for monetary or other valuable consideration by the controller to a third party. "Sale of personal data" does not include: (1) The disclosure of personal data to a processor that processes the personal data on behalf of the controller; (2) The disclosure of personal data to a third party for purposes of providing a product or service requested by the consumer; (3) The disclosure or transfer of personal data to an affiliate of the controller; (4) The disclosure of personal data in which the consumer directs the controller to disclose the personal data or intentionally uses the controller to interact with a third party; (5) The disclosure of information that the consumer: (A) Intentionally made available to the general public via a channel of mass media; and (B) Did not restrict to a specific audience; or (6) The disclosure or transfer of personal data to a third party as an asset that is part of an actual or proposed merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction in which the third party assumes control of all or part of the controller's assets. "Sensitive data" refers to a category of personal data. "Sensitive data" includes: (1) Personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health conditions or diagnoses, sexual history, sexual orientation, or citizenship or immigration status; (2) The processing of genetic or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person; (3) The personal data collected from a known child; or (4) Precise geolocation data. "Targeted advertising" means displaying to a consumer advertisements based on personal data obtained or inferred from that consumer's activities over time and across non-affiliated websites or online applications to predict the consumer's preferences or interests. "Targeted advertising" does not include: (1) Advertisements based on activities within a controller's own websites or online applications; (2) Advertisements based on the context of a consumer's current search query, visit to a website, or online application; (3) Advertisements directed to a consumer in response to the consumer's request for information or feedback; or (4) Processing personal data solely to measure or report advertising performance, reach, or frequency. "Third party" means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or body other than the consumer, controller, processor, or an affiliate of the processor or the controller. § -2 Scope; exemptions. (a) This chapter applies to persons that conduct business in the State or produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the State and during a calendar year: (1) Control or process personal data of at least one hundred thousand consumers; or (2) Control or process personal data of at least twenty‑five thousand consumers and derive over twenty‑five per cent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data. (b) This chapter shall not apply to: (1) Any government entity; (2) Any nonprofit organization; (3) Any institution of higher education; or (4) The National Insurance Crime Bureau. (c) The following information and data are exempt from this chapter: (1) Protected health information as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103; (2) Nonpublic personal information, as defined in the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 94); (3) Confidential records as described in title 42 United States Code section 290dd-2; (4) Identifiable private information for purposes of the protection of human subjects under title 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 46; identifiable private information that is otherwise collected as part of human subjects research pursuant to the good clinical practice guidelines issued by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use; identifiable private information collected as part of a clinical investigation under title 21 Code of Federal Regulations parts 50 and 56; personal data used or shared in research conducted in accordance with the requirements described in this chapter; and other research conducted in accordance with applicable law; (5) Information and documents created for purposes of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. chapter 117); (6) Patient safety work product for purposes of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. sections 299b-21 to 299b-26); (7) Information derived from any of the health care‑related information listed in this subsection that is de-identified in accordance with the requirements for de-identification pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; (8) Information originating from, and intermingled so as to be indistinguishable with, or information treated in the same manner as information exempt under this subsection that is maintained by a covered entity or business associate as defined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or a program or qualified service organization as defined in title 42 Code of Federal Regulations section 2.11; (9) Information used only for public health activities and purposes as authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; (10) The collection, maintenance, disclosure, sale, communication, or use of any personal information bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living by a consumer reporting agency or furnisher that provides information for use in a consumer report, and by a user of a consumer report, but only to the extent that the activity is regulated by and authorized under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. sections 1681 to 1681x); (11) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (18 U.S.C. chapter 123); (12) Personal data regulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. section 1232g); (13) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Farm Credit Act of 1971, Public Law 92-181, as amended; and (14) Data processed or maintained: (A) In the course of an individual applying to, employed by, or acting as an agent or independent contractor of a controller, processor, or third party, to the extent that the data is collected and used within the context of that role; (B) As the emergency contact information of an individual under this chapter used for emergency contact purposes; or (C) As necessary to retain to administer benefits for another individual relating to the individual under subparagraph (A) and used for the purposes of administering those benefits. (d) Controllers and processors that comply with the verifiable parental consent requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 91) shall be deemed compliant with any obligation to obtain parental consent under this chapter. § -3 Personal data rights; consumers. (a) A consumer may invoke the consumer rights specified in this subsection at any time by submitting a request to a controller specifying the consumer rights that the consumer wishes to invoke. A child's parent or legal guardian may invoke the same consumer rights on behalf of the child regarding processing personal data belonging to the child. A controller shall comply with an authenticated consumer request to exercise the right: (1) To confirm whether a controller is processing the consumer's personal data and to access the personal data; (2) To correct inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data, taking into account the nature of the personal data and the purposes of the processing of the consumer's personal data; (3) To delete personal data provided by the consumer; (4) To obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that the consumer previously provided to the controller in a format that: (A) Is portable; (B) To the extent technically feasible, is readily usable; and (C) If the processing is carried out by automated means, allows the consumer to transmit the data to another controller without hindrance; and (5) To opt out of the processing of the personal data for purposes of: (A) Targeted advertising; (B) The sale of personal data; or (C) Profiling in furtherance of decisions made by the controller that results in the provision or denial by the controller of financial and lending services; housing; insurance; education enrollment; criminal justice; employment opportunities; health care services; or access to basic necessities, including food and water. (b) A consumer may exercise rights under this section by secure and reliable means established by the controller and described to the consumer in the controller's privacy notice. A consumer may designate an authorized agent in accordance with section -4 to exercise the rights of the consumer to opt out of the processing of the consumer's personal data for purposes of subsection (a)(5) on behalf of the consumer. In the case of processing personal data of a known child, the parent or legal guardian of the child may exercise the child's consumer rights on the child's behalf. In the case of processing personal data concerning a consumer subject to a guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective arrangement, the guardian or conservator of the consumer may exercise the consumer's rights on the consumer's behalf. (c) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a controller shall comply with a request by a consumer to exercise the consumer rights specified in subsection (a) as follows: (1) A controller shall respond to the consumer without undue delay, but in all cases within forty-five days of receipt of the request submitted pursuant to the methods described in subsection (a). The response period may be extended once by forty-five additional days when reasonably necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the consumer's requests, so long as the controller informs the consumer of the extension within the initial forty-five-day response period, together with the reason for the extension; (2) If a controller declines to take action regarding the consumer's request, the controller, without undue delay, but no later than forty-five days of receipt of the request, shall inform the consumer in writing of this decision and the justification for declining to take action and instructions for appealing the decision pursuant to subsection (d); (3) Information provided in response to a consumer request shall be provided by a controller free of charge, up to twice annually per consumer. If requests from a consumer are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, the controller may charge the consumer a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of complying with the request or decline to act on the request. The controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive nature of the request; (4) If a controller is unable to authenticate the request using commercially reasonable efforts, the controller shall not be required to comply with a request to initiate an action under subsection (a) and may request that the consumer provide additional information reasonably necessary to authenticate the consumer and the consumer's request; provided that no controller shall be required to authenticate an opt‑out request; provided further that a controller may deny an opt-out request if the controller has a good faith, reasonable, and documented belief that the request is fraudulent; provided further that if a controller denies an opt-out request because the controller believes that the request is fraudulent, the controller shall send a notice to the person who made the request disclosing that the controller believes the request is fraudulent, why the controller believes the request is fraudulent, and that the controller shall not comply with the request; and (5) A controller that has obtained personal data about a consumer from a source other than the consumer shall be deemed in compliance with a consumer's request to delete the data pursuant to subsection (a)(3) by either: (A) Retaining a record of the deletion request and the minimum data necessary for the purpose of ensuring the consumer's personal data remains deleted from the business's records and not using the retained data for any other purpose pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; or (B) Opting the consumer out of the processing of the personal data for any purpose except for those exempted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. (d) Each controller shall establish a process for a consumer to appeal the controller's refusal to take action on a request within a reasonable period of time after the consumer's receipt of the decision pursuant to subsection (c)(2); provided that the appeal process shall be similar to the process for submitting requests to initiate action pursuant to subsection (a). Within sixty days of receipt of an appeal, a controller shall inform the consumer in writing of its decision, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decision. If the appeal is denied, the controller shall also provide the consumer with an online method, if available, or other method, through which the consumer may contact the department to submit a complaint. § -4 Authorized agent; designation; powers. A consumer may designate another person to serve as the consumer's authorized agent, act on the consumer's behalf, or opt out of the processing of the consumer's personal data for one or more of the purposes specified in section -3(a)(5). The consumer may designate an authorized agent by way of, among other things, a computer technology, including an internet link, browser setting, browser extension, or global device setting, indicating the consumer's intent to opt out of the processing. A controller shall comply with an opt-out request received from an authorized agent if the controller is able to verify, with commercially reasonable effort, the identity of the consumer and the authorized agent's authority to act on the consumer's behalf. § -5 Controller responsibilities; transparency. (a) Each controller shall: (1) Limit the collection of personal data to data that is adequate, relevant, and reasonably necessary in relation to the purposes for which the data is processed, as disclosed to the consumer; (2) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, not process personal data for purposes that are neither reasonably necessary to, nor compatible with, the disclosed purposes for which the personal data is processed, as disclosed to the consumer, unless the controller obtains the consumer's consent; (3) Establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical data security practices to protect any confidential information contained in, and the integrity and accessibility of, personal data. The data security practices shall be appropriate to the volume and nature of the personal data at issue; (4) Provide an effective mechanism for a consumer to revoke the consumer's consent under this section that is at least as easy to use as the mechanism by which the consumer provided the consumer's consent and, upon revocation of the consumer's consent, cease to process the data as soon as practicable, but no later than fifteen days after the receipt of the request; (5) Not process the personal data of a consumer for purposes of targeted advertising, or sell the consumer's personal data without the consumer's consent, under circumstances in which the controller has actual knowledge, and willfully disregards, that the consumer is at least thirteen years of age but younger than sixteen years of age; provided that no controller shall discriminate against a consumer for exercising any of the consumer rights contained in this chapter, including denying goods or services, charging different prices or rates for goods or services, or providing a different level of quality of goods or services to the consumer; (6) Not process personal data in violation of state and federal laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination against consumers; and (7) Not process sensitive data concerning a consumer without obtaining the consumer's consent, or, in the case of the processing of sensitive data concerning a known child, without processing the data in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 91); provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require a controller to provide a product or service that requires the personal data of a consumer that the controller does not collect or maintain, or prohibit a controller from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a consumer, including offering goods or services for no fee, if the offering is in connection with a consumer's voluntary participation in a bona fide loyalty, rewards, premium features, discounts, or club card program. (b) Any provision of a contract or agreement that purports to waive or limit in any way any consumer rights described in section -3 shall be deemed contrary to public policy and shall be void. (c) Each controller shall provide to each applicable consumer a reasonably accessible, clear, and meaningful privacy notice that includes: (1) The categories of personal data processed by the controller; (2) The purpose for processing personal data; (3) The methods by which the consumer may exercise the consumer's rights pursuant to section -3, including the process for a consumer to appeal the controller's decision with regard to the consumer's request; (4) The categories of personal data that the controller shares with third parties, if any; (5) The categories of third parties, if any, with whom the controller shares personal data; and (6) An active electronic mail address or other online mechanism that the consumer may use to contact the controller. (d) If a controller sells personal data to a third party or processes personal data for targeted advertising, the controller shall clearly and conspicuously disclose to the affected consumer the processing and manner in which the consumer may exercise the right to opt out of the processing. (e) A controller shall establish, and shall describe in a privacy notice, one or more secure and reliable means for each consumer to submit a request to exercise the consumer's rights under this chapter. These means shall take into account the ways in which consumers normally interact with the controller, the need for secure and reliable communication of the requests, and the ability of the controller to authenticate the identity of the consumer making the request. No controller shall require a consumer to create a new account in order to exercise the consumer's rights pursuant to section -3, but may require a consumer to use an existing, active account. (f) No controller shall discriminate against a consumer for exercising any of the consumer rights contained in this chapter, including denying goods or services, charging different prices or rates for goods or services, or providing a different level of quality of goods and services to the consumer; provided that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller to: (1) Provide a product or service that requires the personal data of a consumer that the controller does not collect or maintain; or (2) Prohibit a controller from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a consumer, including offering goods or services for no fee, if: (A) The consumer has exercised the consumer's right to opt out pursuant to section -3; or (B) The offer is related to a consumer's voluntary participation in a bona fide loyalty, rewards, premium features, discounts, or club card program. § -6 Responsibility according to role; controller and processor. (a) In meeting its obligations under this chapter, each processor shall adhere to the instructions of a controller and shall assist the controller. The assistance shall include: (1) Consideration of the nature of processing and the information available to the processor, by appropriate technical and organizational measures, insofar as is reasonably practicable, to fulfill the controller's obligation to respond to consumer rights requests pursuant to section -3; (2) Consideration of the nature of processing and the information available to the processor by assisting the controller in meeting the controller's obligations in relation to the security of processing the personal data and in relation to the notice of security breach provided pursuant to section 487N-2; and (3) The provision of necessary information to enable the controller to conduct and document data protection assessments pursuant to section -7. (b) A contract between a controller and a processor shall govern the processor's data processing procedures with respect to processing performed on behalf of the controller. The contract shall be binding and clearly set forth instructions for processing, the nature and purpose of processing, the type of data subject to processing, the duration of processing, and the rights and obligations of both parties. The contract shall also include requirements that the processor shall: (1) Ensure that each person processing personal data is subject to a duty of confidentiality with respect to the data; (2) At the controller's direction, delete or return all personal data to the controller upon request at the end of the provision of services, unless retention of the personal data is required by law; (3) Upon the reasonable request of the controller, make available to the controller all information in the processor's possession necessary to demonstrate the processor's compliance with the processor's obligations enumerated in this chapter; (4) Allow, and cooperate with, any reasonable assessments of the processor's policies and technical and organizational measures in support of the processor's obligations enumerated in this chapter performed by the controller or the controller's designated assessor; alternatively, the processor may arrange for a qualified and independent assessor to conduct the assessment using an appropriate and accepted control standard or framework and assessment procedure for the assessments. The processor shall provide a report of the assessment to the controller upon request; and (5) Engage any subcontractor pursuant to a written contract that requires the subcontractor to meet the obligations of the processor with respect to the personal data. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve any controller or processor from the liabilities imposed on the controller or processor by virtue of the controller or processor's role in the processing relationship as determined pursuant to this chapter. (d) A determination of whether a person is acting as a controller or processor with respect to a specific processing of data is a fact-based determination that depends upon the context in which personal data is to be processed. A person who is not limited in the processing of personal data pursuant to a controller's instructions, or who fails to adhere to these instructions, shall be deemed to be a controller and not a processor with respect to the specific processing of data. A processor that continues to adhere to a controller's instructions with respect to a specific processing of personal data shall remain a processor. If a processor begins, alone or jointly with others, determining the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, the processor shall be deemed to be a controller. § -7 Data protection assessments. (a) The data protection assessment requirements of this section shall apply to processing activities created or generated after January 1, 2026. (b) Each controller shall conduct and document a data protection assessment of each of the following processing activities involving personal data: (1) The processing of personal data for purposes of targeted advertising; (2) The sale of personal data; (3) The processing of personal data for purposes of profiling if the profiling presents a reasonably foreseeable risk of: (A) Unfair or deceptive treatment of, or unlawful disparate impact on, consumers; (B) Financial, physical, or reputational injury to consumers; (C) A physical intrusion or other intrusion upon the solitude or seclusion, or the private affairs or concerns, of consumers, that would be offensive to a reasonable person; or (D) Other substantial injury to consumers; (4) The processing of sensitive data; and (5) Any processing activities involving personal data that present a heightened risk of harm to consumers. (c) Data protection assessments conducted pursuant to subsection (b) shall identify and evaluate the benefits, direct or indirect, that a controller, a consumer, other stakeholders, and the public may derive from processing against the potential risks to the rights of consumers associated with the processing, as mitigated by safeguards that may be employed by the controller to reduce these risks. The controller shall factor into this assessment the use of de-identified data, the reasonable expectations of consumers, the context of the processing, and the relationship between the controller and the consumer whose personal data is processed. (d) The department may request, pursuant to a civil investigative demand, that a controller disclose any data protection assessment that is relevant to an investigation conducted by the department, and the controller shall make the data protection assessment available to the department. The department may evaluate the data protection assessment for compliance with the responsibilities set forth in section -5. Data protection assessments shall be confidential and exempt from the public inspection and copying requirements of chapter 92F. The disclosure of a data protection assessment pursuant to a request from the department shall not constitute a waiver of attorney‑client privilege or work product protection with respect to the assessment and any information contained in the assessment. (e) A single data protection assessment may address a comparable set of processing operations that include similar activities. (f) Data protection assessments conducted by a controller for the purpose of compliance with other laws may comply under this section if the assessments have a reasonably comparable scope and effect. § -8 Processing de-identified data; exemptions. (a) A controller in possession of de-identified data shall: (1) Take reasonable measures to ensure that the data cannot be associated with a natural person; (2) Publicly commit to maintaining and using de-identified data without attempting to re-identify the data; and (3) Contractually obligate any recipients of the de‑identified data to comply with this chapter. (b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller or processor to: (1) Re-identify de-identified data or pseudonymous data; or (2) Maintain data in identifiable form, or collect, obtain, retain, or access any data or technological information, to be capable of associating an authenticated consumer request with personal data. (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller or processor to comply with an authenticated consumer rights request received pursuant to section -3 if: (1) The controller is not reasonably capable of associating the request with the personal data or it would be unreasonably burdensome for the controller to associate the request with the personal data; (2) The controller does not use the personal data to recognize or respond to the specific consumer who is the subject of the personal data, or associate the personal data with other personal data about the same specific consumer; and (3) The controller does not sell the personal data to any third party or otherwise voluntarily disclose the personal data to any third party other than a processor, except as otherwise permitted in this section. (d) The consumer rights specified in sections -3(a)(1) through (4) and section -5 shall not apply to pseudonymous data when the controller is able to demonstrate that any additional information necessary to identify the consumer is kept separately and is subject to effective technical and organizational controls that: (1) Ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person; and (2) Prevent the controller from accessing the information. (e) A controller that discloses pseudonymous data or de‑identified data shall exercise reasonable oversight to monitor compliance with any contractual commitments to which the pseudonymous data or de-identified data is subject and shall take appropriate steps to address any breaches of those contractual commitments. § -9 Limitations. (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict a controller or processor's ability to: (1) Comply with federal, state, or local laws, rules, or regulations; (2) Comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons by federal, state, county, or other governmental authorities; (3) Cooperate with law enforcement agencies concerning conduct or activity that the controller or processor reasonably and in good faith believes may violate federal, state, or county laws, rules, or regulations; (4) Investigate, establish, exercise, prepare for, or defend legal claims; (5) Provide a product or service specifically requested by a consumer; perform a contract to which the consumer is a party, including fulfilling the terms of a written warranty; or take steps at the request of the consumer before entering into a contract; (6) Take immediate steps to protect an interest that is essential for the life or physical safety of the consumer or of another natural person if the processing cannot be manifestly based on another legal basis; (7) Prevent, detect, protect against, or respond to security incidents, identity theft, fraud, harassment, malicious or deceptive activities, or any illegal activity; preserve the integrity or security of systems; or investigate, report, or prosecute those responsible for any of these actions; (8) Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws and is approved, monitored, and governed by an independent oversight entity that determines whether: (A) The deletion of the information is likely to provide substantial benefits that do not exclusively accrue to the controller; (B) The expected benefits of the research outweigh the privacy risks; and (C) The controller has implemented reasonable safeguards to mitigate privacy risks associated with research, including any risks associated with reidentification; (9) Assist another controller, processor, or third party with any of the obligations under this subsection; or (10) Process personal data for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, community health, or population health, but only to the extent that processing is: (A) Subject to suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights of the consumer whose personal data is being processed; and (B) Under the responsibility of a professional subject to confidentiality obligations under federal, state, or local law. (b) The obligations imposed on controllers or processors under this chapter shall not restrict a controller or processor's ability to collect, use, or retain data to: (1) Conduct internal research to develop, improve, or repair products, services, or technology; (2) Effectuate a product recall; (3) Identify and repair technical errors that impair existing or intended functionality; or (4) Perform internal operations that are reasonably aligned with the expectations of the consumer, reasonably anticipated based on the consumer's existing relationship with the controller, or are otherwise compatible with processing data in furtherance of the provision of a product or service specifically requested by a consumer or the performance of a contract to which the consumer is a party. (c) The obligations imposed on controllers or processors under this chapter shall not apply if the controller or processor's compliance with this chapter would violate an evidentiary privilege under state law. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a controller or processor from providing personal data concerning a consumer to a person covered by an evidentiary privilege under state law as part of a privileged communication. (d) A controller or processor that discloses personal data to a third-party controller or processor in compliance with the requirements of this chapter shall not be deemed to be in violation of this chapter if the third-party controller or processor that receives and processes the personal data is in violation of this chapter; provided that, at the time of the disclosure of the personal data, the disclosing controller or processor did not have actual knowledge that the recipient intended to commit a violation. A third-party controller or processor that receives personal data from a controller or processor in compliance with the requirements of this chapter shall not be deemed to be in violation of this chapter if the controller or processor from which the third-party controller or processor receives the personal data is in violation of this chapter. (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to: (1) Impose an obligation on controllers and processors that adversely affects the rights or freedoms of any person, including the right of free expression pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; or (2) Apply to the processing of personal data by a person in the course of a purely personal or household activity. (f) Personal data processed by a controller pursuant to this section shall not be processed for any purpose other than those expressly listed in this section unless otherwise allowed by this chapter. Personal data processed by a controller pursuant to this section may be processed to the extent that the processing is: (1) Reasonably necessary and proportionate to the purposes listed in this section; and (2) Adequate, relevant, and limited to the processing necessary in relation to the specific purposes listed in this section; provided that for any personal data collected, used, or retained pursuant to subsection (b), the processor shall consider the nature and purpose or purposes of the collection, use, or retention; provided further that the personal data shall be subject to reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of the personal data and to reduce reasonably foreseeable risks of harm to consumers relating to the collection, use, or retention of personal data. (g) If a controller processes personal data pursuant to an exemption provided in this section, the controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating that the processing qualifies for the exemption and complies with subsection (f). (h) An entity's processing of personal data for the purposes expressly identified in subsection (a) shall not be the sole basis for the department to consider the entity as a controller with respect to the processing. § -10 Investigative authority. The department may investigate alleged violations of this chapter pursuant to section 28-2.5 and any other applicable law. § -11 Enforcement; civil penalty; expenses. (a) The department shall have exclusive authority to enforce this chapter. (b) Before initiating any action under this chapter, the department shall provide a controller or processor a thirty-day written notice that identifies the specific provisions of this chapter that the controller or processor has allegedly violated. If, within the thirty-day period, the controller or processor cures the alleged violation and provides the department with an express written statement that the alleged violation has been cured and that no further violations shall occur, no action shall be initiated against the controller or processor. (c) If a controller or processor continues to violate this chapter following the cure period provided for in subsection (b) or breaches the express written statement provided to the department pursuant to subsection (b), the department may: (1) Initiate an action in the name of the State; (2) Seek an injunction to restrain any violations of this chapter; and (3) Seek to impose civil penalties of up to $7,500 for each violation under this chapter. (d) For any action initiated under this chapter, the department may recover reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, that the department incurred in the investigation and preparation of the case. (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to provide the basis for, or be subject to, a private right of action for violations of this chapter or under any other law. § -12 Consumer privacy special fund. (a) There is established in the state treasury the consumer privacy special fund into which shall be deposited: (1) All civil penalties, expenses, and attorney fees collected pursuant to this chapter; (2) Interest earned on moneys in the fund; and (3) Appropriations made by the legislature. (b) The fund shall be administered by the department. Moneys in the fund shall be used by the department to administer this chapter. § -13 Rules. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this chapter." SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be deposited into the consumer privacy special fund. SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the consumer privacy special fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for consumer data protection. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of the attorney general for the purposes of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
4848
4949 SECTION 1. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to title 26 be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
5050
5151 "Chapter
5252
5353 CONSUMER DATA PROTECTION ACT
5454
5555 § -1 Definitions. As used in this chapter:
5656
5757 "Affiliate" means a legal entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another legal entity or shares common branding with another legal entity. As used in this definition, "control" or "controlled" means:
5858
5959 (1) Ownership of, or the power to vote, more than fifty per cent of the outstanding shares of any class of voting security of a company;
6060
6161 (2) Control in any manner over the election of a majority of the directors or of individuals exercising similar functions; or
6262
6363 (3) Power to exercise controlling influence over the management of a company.
6464
6565 "Authenticate" means to verify through reasonable means that a consumer attempting to exercise the consumer rights specified in section -3 is the actual consumer having the consumer rights with respect to the personal data at issue.
6666
6767 "Biometric data" means data generated by automatic measurements of an individual's biological characteristics, including fingerprints, voiceprints, eye retinas, irises, or other unique biological patterns or characteristics that are used to identify a specific individual. "Biometric data" does not include a physical or digital photograph; a video or audio recording or data generated therefrom; or information collected, used, or stored for health care treatment, payment, or operations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
6868
6969 "Business associate" has the same meaning as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103.
7070
7171 "Child" means any natural person younger than thirteen years of age.
7272
7373 "Consent" means a clear affirmative act signifying a consumer's freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous agreement to allow the processing of personal data relating to the consumer. "Consent" includes a written statement, including a statement written by electronic means, or any other unambiguous affirmative action. "Consent" does not include:
7474
7575 (1) Acceptance of general or broad terms of use or document containing general or broad descriptions of personal data processing along with other unrelated information;
7676
7777 (2) Hovering over, muting, pausing, or closing a given piece of content; or
7878
7979 (3) Agreement obtained through the use of dark patterns.
8080
8181 "Consumer" means a natural person who is a resident of the State acting only in an individual or household context. "Consumer" does not include a natural person acting in a commercial or employment context.
8282
8383 "Controller" means the natural or legal person that, alone or jointly with others, determines the purpose and means of processing personal data.
8484
8585 "Covered entity" has the same meaning as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103.
8686
8787 "Dark patterns" means a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of subverting or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice. "Dark patterns" includes any practice referred to by the Federal Trade Commission as a "dark pattern".
8888
8989 "De-identified data" means data that cannot reasonably be linked to an identified or identifiable natural person or a device linked to the person.
9090
9191 "Department" means the department of the attorney general.
9292
9393 "Fund" means the consumer privacy special fund established pursuant to section -12.
9494
9595 "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191, as amended.
9696
9797 "Identified or identifiable natural person" means a natural person who may be readily identified, directly, or indirectly.
9898
9999 "Institution of higher education" means:
100100
101101 (1) The university of Hawaii system, or one of its campuses; or
102102
103103 (2) A private college or university authorized to operate in the State pursuant to chapter 305J.
104104
105105 "Nonprofit organization" means any:
106106
107107 (1) Corporation incorporated pursuant to chapter 414D;
108108
109109 (2) Organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3), (6), or (12) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; or
110110
111111 (3) Electric utility cooperative association subject to chapter 421C.
112112
113113 "Personal data" means any information that is linked or could be reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable natural person. "Personal data" does not include de‑identified data or publicly available information.
114114
115115 "Precise geolocation data" means information derived from technology, including global positioning system level latitude and longitude coordinates or other mechanisms, that directly identifies the specific location of a natural person with precision and accuracy within a radius of 1,750 feet. "Precise geolocation data" does not include the content of communications or any data generated by, or connected to, advanced utility metering infrastructure systems or equipment for use by a utility.
116116
117117 "Process" or "processing" means any operation or set of operations performed, whether by manual or automated means, on personal data or on sets of personal data, including the collection, use, storage, disclosure, analysis, deletion, or modification of personal data.
118118
119119 "Processor" means a natural or legal person that processes personal data on behalf of a controller.
120120
121121 "Profiling" means any form of automated processing performed on personal data to evaluate, analyze, or predict personal aspects related to an identified or identifiable natural person's economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements.
122122
123123 "Pseudonymous data" means personal data that cannot be attributed to a specific natural person without the use of additional information that is:
124124
125125 (1) Stored separately; and
126126
127127 (2) Subject to appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable individual.
128128
129129 "Publicly available information" means information that is lawfully made available through federal, state, or local government records, or information that a business has a reasonable basis to believe is lawfully made available to the general public through widely distributed media, by the consumer, or by a person to whom the consumer has disclosed the information, unless the consumer has restricted the information to a specific audience.
130130
131131 "Sale of personal data" means the exchange of personal data for monetary or other valuable consideration by the controller to a third party. "Sale of personal data" does not include:
132132
133133 (1) The disclosure of personal data to a processor that processes the personal data on behalf of the controller;
134134
135135 (2) The disclosure of personal data to a third party for purposes of providing a product or service requested by the consumer;
136136
137137 (3) The disclosure or transfer of personal data to an affiliate of the controller;
138138
139139 (4) The disclosure of personal data in which the consumer directs the controller to disclose the personal data or intentionally uses the controller to interact with a third party;
140140
141141 (5) The disclosure of information that the consumer:
142142
143143 (A) Intentionally made available to the general public via a channel of mass media; and
144144
145145 (B) Did not restrict to a specific audience; or
146146
147147 (6) The disclosure or transfer of personal data to a third party as an asset that is part of an actual or proposed merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction in which the third party assumes control of all or part of the controller's assets.
148148
149149 "Sensitive data" refers to a category of personal data. "Sensitive data" includes:
150150
151151 (1) Personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health conditions or diagnoses, sexual history, sexual orientation, or citizenship or immigration status;
152152
153153 (2) The processing of genetic or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person;
154154
155155 (3) The personal data collected from a known child; or
156156
157157 (4) Precise geolocation data.
158158
159159 "Targeted advertising" means displaying to a consumer advertisements based on personal data obtained or inferred from that consumer's activities over time and across non-affiliated websites or online applications to predict the consumer's preferences or interests. "Targeted advertising" does not include:
160160
161161 (1) Advertisements based on activities within a controller's own websites or online applications;
162162
163163 (2) Advertisements based on the context of a consumer's current search query, visit to a website, or online application;
164164
165165 (3) Advertisements directed to a consumer in response to the consumer's request for information or feedback; or
166166
167167 (4) Processing personal data solely to measure or report advertising performance, reach, or frequency.
168168
169169 "Third party" means a natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or body other than the consumer, controller, processor, or an affiliate of the processor or the controller.
170170
171171 § -2 Scope; exemptions. (a) This chapter applies to persons that conduct business in the State or produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the State and during a calendar year:
172172
173173 (1) Control or process personal data of at least one hundred thousand consumers; or
174174
175175 (2) Control or process personal data of at least twenty‑five thousand consumers and derive over twenty‑five per cent of gross revenue from the sale of personal data.
176176
177177 (b) This chapter shall not apply to:
178178
179179 (1) Any government entity;
180180
181181 (2) Any nonprofit organization;
182182
183183 (3) Any institution of higher education; or
184184
185185 (4) The National Insurance Crime Bureau.
186186
187187 (c) The following information and data are exempt from this chapter:
188188
189189 (1) Protected health information as defined in title 45 Code of Federal Regulations section 160.103;
190190
191191 (2) Nonpublic personal information, as defined in the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 94);
192192
193193 (3) Confidential records as described in title 42 United States Code section 290dd-2;
194194
195195 (4) Identifiable private information for purposes of the protection of human subjects under title 45 Code of Federal Regulations part 46; identifiable private information that is otherwise collected as part of human subjects research pursuant to the good clinical practice guidelines issued by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use; identifiable private information collected as part of a clinical investigation under title 21 Code of Federal Regulations parts 50 and 56; personal data used or shared in research conducted in accordance with the requirements described in this chapter; and other research conducted in accordance with applicable law;
196196
197197 (5) Information and documents created for purposes of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. chapter 117);
198198
199199 (6) Patient safety work product for purposes of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (42 U.S.C. sections 299b-21 to 299b-26);
200200
201201 (7) Information derived from any of the health care‑related information listed in this subsection that is de-identified in accordance with the requirements for de-identification pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act;
202202
203203 (8) Information originating from, and intermingled so as to be indistinguishable with, or information treated in the same manner as information exempt under this subsection that is maintained by a covered entity or business associate as defined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or a program or qualified service organization as defined in title 42 Code of Federal Regulations section 2.11;
204204
205205 (9) Information used only for public health activities and purposes as authorized by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act;
206206
207207 (10) The collection, maintenance, disclosure, sale, communication, or use of any personal information bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living by a consumer reporting agency or furnisher that provides information for use in a consumer report, and by a user of a consumer report, but only to the extent that the activity is regulated by and authorized under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. sections 1681 to 1681x);
208208
209209 (11) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (18 U.S.C. chapter 123);
210210
211211 (12) Personal data regulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. section 1232g);
212212
213213 (13) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Farm Credit Act of 1971, Public Law 92-181, as amended; and
214214
215215 (14) Data processed or maintained:
216216
217217 (A) In the course of an individual applying to, employed by, or acting as an agent or independent contractor of a controller, processor, or third party, to the extent that the data is collected and used within the context of that role;
218218
219219 (B) As the emergency contact information of an individual under this chapter used for emergency contact purposes; or
220220
221221 (C) As necessary to retain to administer benefits for another individual relating to the individual under subparagraph (A) and used for the purposes of administering those benefits.
222222
223223 (d) Controllers and processors that comply with the verifiable parental consent requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 91) shall be deemed compliant with any obligation to obtain parental consent under this chapter.
224224
225225 § -3 Personal data rights; consumers. (a) A consumer may invoke the consumer rights specified in this subsection at any time by submitting a request to a controller specifying the consumer rights that the consumer wishes to invoke. A child's parent or legal guardian may invoke the same consumer rights on behalf of the child regarding processing personal data belonging to the child. A controller shall comply with an authenticated consumer request to exercise the right:
226226
227227 (1) To confirm whether a controller is processing the consumer's personal data and to access the personal data;
228228
229229 (2) To correct inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data, taking into account the nature of the personal data and the purposes of the processing of the consumer's personal data;
230230
231231 (3) To delete personal data provided by the consumer;
232232
233233 (4) To obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that the consumer previously provided to the controller in a format that:
234234
235235 (A) Is portable;
236236
237237 (B) To the extent technically feasible, is readily usable; and
238238
239239 (C) If the processing is carried out by automated means, allows the consumer to transmit the data to another controller without hindrance; and
240240
241241 (5) To opt out of the processing of the personal data for purposes of:
242242
243243 (A) Targeted advertising;
244244
245245 (B) The sale of personal data; or
246246
247247 (C) Profiling in furtherance of decisions made by the controller that results in the provision or denial by the controller of financial and lending services; housing; insurance; education enrollment; criminal justice; employment opportunities; health care services; or access to basic necessities, including food and water.
248248
249249 (b) A consumer may exercise rights under this section by secure and reliable means established by the controller and described to the consumer in the controller's privacy notice. A consumer may designate an authorized agent in accordance with section -4 to exercise the rights of the consumer to opt out of the processing of the consumer's personal data for purposes of subsection (a)(5) on behalf of the consumer. In the case of processing personal data of a known child, the parent or legal guardian of the child may exercise the child's consumer rights on the child's behalf. In the case of processing personal data concerning a consumer subject to a guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective arrangement, the guardian or conservator of the consumer may exercise the consumer's rights on the consumer's behalf.
250250
251251 (c) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a controller shall comply with a request by a consumer to exercise the consumer rights specified in subsection (a) as follows:
252252
253253 (1) A controller shall respond to the consumer without undue delay, but in all cases within forty-five days of receipt of the request submitted pursuant to the methods described in subsection (a). The response period may be extended once by forty-five additional days when reasonably necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the consumer's requests, so long as the controller informs the consumer of the extension within the initial forty-five-day response period, together with the reason for the extension;
254254
255255 (2) If a controller declines to take action regarding the consumer's request, the controller, without undue delay, but no later than forty-five days of receipt of the request, shall inform the consumer in writing of this decision and the justification for declining to take action and instructions for appealing the decision pursuant to subsection (d);
256256
257257 (3) Information provided in response to a consumer request shall be provided by a controller free of charge, up to twice annually per consumer. If requests from a consumer are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, the controller may charge the consumer a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of complying with the request or decline to act on the request. The controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive nature of the request;
258258
259259 (4) If a controller is unable to authenticate the request using commercially reasonable efforts, the controller shall not be required to comply with a request to initiate an action under subsection (a) and may request that the consumer provide additional information reasonably necessary to authenticate the consumer and the consumer's request; provided that no controller shall be required to authenticate an opt‑out request; provided further that a controller may deny an opt-out request if the controller has a good faith, reasonable, and documented belief that the request is fraudulent; provided further that if a controller denies an opt-out request because the controller believes that the request is fraudulent, the controller shall send a notice to the person who made the request disclosing that the controller believes the request is fraudulent, why the controller believes the request is fraudulent, and that the controller shall not comply with the request; and
260260
261261 (5) A controller that has obtained personal data about a consumer from a source other than the consumer shall be deemed in compliance with a consumer's request to delete the data pursuant to subsection (a)(3) by either:
262262
263263 (A) Retaining a record of the deletion request and the minimum data necessary for the purpose of ensuring the consumer's personal data remains deleted from the business's records and not using the retained data for any other purpose pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; or
264264
265265 (B) Opting the consumer out of the processing of the personal data for any purpose except for those exempted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
266266
267267 (d) Each controller shall establish a process for a consumer to appeal the controller's refusal to take action on a request within a reasonable period of time after the consumer's receipt of the decision pursuant to subsection (c)(2); provided that the appeal process shall be similar to the process for submitting requests to initiate action pursuant to subsection (a). Within sixty days of receipt of an appeal, a controller shall inform the consumer in writing of its decision, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decision. If the appeal is denied, the controller shall also provide the consumer with an online method, if available, or other method, through which the consumer may contact the department to submit a complaint.
268268
269269 § -4 Authorized agent; designation; powers. A consumer may designate another person to serve as the consumer's authorized agent, act on the consumer's behalf, or opt out of the processing of the consumer's personal data for one or more of the purposes specified in section -3(a)(5). The consumer may designate an authorized agent by way of, among other things, a computer technology, including an internet link, browser setting, browser extension, or global device setting, indicating the consumer's intent to opt out of the processing. A controller shall comply with an opt-out request received from an authorized agent if the controller is able to verify, with commercially reasonable effort, the identity of the consumer and the authorized agent's authority to act on the consumer's behalf.
270270
271271 § -5 Controller responsibilities; transparency. (a) Each controller shall:
272272
273273 (1) Limit the collection of personal data to data that is adequate, relevant, and reasonably necessary in relation to the purposes for which the data is processed, as disclosed to the consumer;
274274
275275 (2) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, not process personal data for purposes that are neither reasonably necessary to, nor compatible with, the disclosed purposes for which the personal data is processed, as disclosed to the consumer, unless the controller obtains the consumer's consent;
276276
277277 (3) Establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical data security practices to protect any confidential information contained in, and the integrity and accessibility of, personal data. The data security practices shall be appropriate to the volume and nature of the personal data at issue;
278278
279279 (4) Provide an effective mechanism for a consumer to revoke the consumer's consent under this section that is at least as easy to use as the mechanism by which the consumer provided the consumer's consent and, upon revocation of the consumer's consent, cease to process the data as soon as practicable, but no later than fifteen days after the receipt of the request;
280280
281281 (5) Not process the personal data of a consumer for purposes of targeted advertising, or sell the consumer's personal data without the consumer's consent, under circumstances in which the controller has actual knowledge, and willfully disregards, that the consumer is at least thirteen years of age but younger than sixteen years of age; provided that no controller shall discriminate against a consumer for exercising any of the consumer rights contained in this chapter, including denying goods or services, charging different prices or rates for goods or services, or providing a different level of quality of goods or services to the consumer;
282282
283283 (6) Not process personal data in violation of state and federal laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination against consumers; and
284284
285285 (7) Not process sensitive data concerning a consumer without obtaining the consumer's consent, or, in the case of the processing of sensitive data concerning a known child, without processing the data in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. chapter 91);
286286
287287 provided that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require a controller to provide a product or service that requires the personal data of a consumer that the controller does not collect or maintain, or prohibit a controller from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a consumer, including offering goods or services for no fee, if the offering is in connection with a consumer's voluntary participation in a bona fide loyalty, rewards, premium features, discounts, or club card program.
288288
289289 (b) Any provision of a contract or agreement that purports to waive or limit in any way any consumer rights described in section -3 shall be deemed contrary to public policy and shall be void.
290290
291291 (c) Each controller shall provide to each applicable consumer a reasonably accessible, clear, and meaningful privacy notice that includes:
292292
293293 (1) The categories of personal data processed by the controller;
294294
295295 (2) The purpose for processing personal data;
296296
297297 (3) The methods by which the consumer may exercise the consumer's rights pursuant to section -3, including the process for a consumer to appeal the controller's decision with regard to the consumer's request;
298298
299299 (4) The categories of personal data that the controller shares with third parties, if any;
300300
301301 (5) The categories of third parties, if any, with whom the controller shares personal data; and
302302
303303 (6) An active electronic mail address or other online mechanism that the consumer may use to contact the controller.
304304
305305 (d) If a controller sells personal data to a third party or processes personal data for targeted advertising, the controller shall clearly and conspicuously disclose to the affected consumer the processing and manner in which the consumer may exercise the right to opt out of the processing.
306306
307307 (e) A controller shall establish, and shall describe in a privacy notice, one or more secure and reliable means for each consumer to submit a request to exercise the consumer's rights under this chapter. These means shall take into account the ways in which consumers normally interact with the controller, the need for secure and reliable communication of the requests, and the ability of the controller to authenticate the identity of the consumer making the request. No controller shall require a consumer to create a new account in order to exercise the consumer's rights pursuant to section -3, but may require a consumer to use an existing, active account.
308308
309309 (f) No controller shall discriminate against a consumer for exercising any of the consumer rights contained in this chapter, including denying goods or services, charging different prices or rates for goods or services, or providing a different level of quality of goods and services to the consumer; provided that nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller to:
310310
311311 (1) Provide a product or service that requires the personal data of a consumer that the controller does not collect or maintain; or
312312
313313 (2) Prohibit a controller from offering a different price, rate, level, quality, or selection of goods or services to a consumer, including offering goods or services for no fee, if:
314314
315315 (A) The consumer has exercised the consumer's right to opt out pursuant to section -3; or
316316
317317 (B) The offer is related to a consumer's voluntary participation in a bona fide loyalty, rewards, premium features, discounts, or club card program.
318318
319319 § -6 Responsibility according to role; controller and processor. (a) In meeting its obligations under this chapter, each processor shall adhere to the instructions of a controller and shall assist the controller. The assistance shall include:
320320
321321 (1) Consideration of the nature of processing and the information available to the processor, by appropriate technical and organizational measures, insofar as is reasonably practicable, to fulfill the controller's obligation to respond to consumer rights requests pursuant to section -3;
322322
323323 (2) Consideration of the nature of processing and the information available to the processor by assisting the controller in meeting the controller's obligations in relation to the security of processing the personal data and in relation to the notice of security breach provided pursuant to section 487N-2; and
324324
325325 (3) The provision of necessary information to enable the controller to conduct and document data protection assessments pursuant to section -7.
326326
327327 (b) A contract between a controller and a processor shall govern the processor's data processing procedures with respect to processing performed on behalf of the controller. The contract shall be binding and clearly set forth instructions for processing, the nature and purpose of processing, the type of data subject to processing, the duration of processing, and the rights and obligations of both parties. The contract shall also include requirements that the processor shall:
328328
329329 (1) Ensure that each person processing personal data is subject to a duty of confidentiality with respect to the data;
330330
331331 (2) At the controller's direction, delete or return all personal data to the controller upon request at the end of the provision of services, unless retention of the personal data is required by law;
332332
333333 (3) Upon the reasonable request of the controller, make available to the controller all information in the processor's possession necessary to demonstrate the processor's compliance with the processor's obligations enumerated in this chapter;
334334
335335 (4) Allow, and cooperate with, any reasonable assessments of the processor's policies and technical and organizational measures in support of the processor's obligations enumerated in this chapter performed by the controller or the controller's designated assessor; alternatively, the processor may arrange for a qualified and independent assessor to conduct the assessment using an appropriate and accepted control standard or framework and assessment procedure for the assessments. The processor shall provide a report of the assessment to the controller upon request; and
336336
337337 (5) Engage any subcontractor pursuant to a written contract that requires the subcontractor to meet the obligations of the processor with respect to the personal data.
338338
339339 (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve any controller or processor from the liabilities imposed on the controller or processor by virtue of the controller or processor's role in the processing relationship as determined pursuant to this chapter.
340340
341341 (d) A determination of whether a person is acting as a controller or processor with respect to a specific processing of data is a fact-based determination that depends upon the context in which personal data is to be processed. A person who is not limited in the processing of personal data pursuant to a controller's instructions, or who fails to adhere to these instructions, shall be deemed to be a controller and not a processor with respect to the specific processing of data. A processor that continues to adhere to a controller's instructions with respect to a specific processing of personal data shall remain a processor. If a processor begins, alone or jointly with others, determining the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, the processor shall be deemed to be a controller.
342342
343343 § -7 Data protection assessments. (a) The data protection assessment requirements of this section shall apply to processing activities created or generated after January 1, 2026.
344344
345345 (b) Each controller shall conduct and document a data protection assessment of each of the following processing activities involving personal data:
346346
347347 (1) The processing of personal data for purposes of targeted advertising;
348348
349349 (2) The sale of personal data;
350350
351351 (3) The processing of personal data for purposes of profiling if the profiling presents a reasonably foreseeable risk of:
352352
353353 (A) Unfair or deceptive treatment of, or unlawful disparate impact on, consumers;
354354
355355 (B) Financial, physical, or reputational injury to consumers;
356356
357357 (C) A physical intrusion or other intrusion upon the solitude or seclusion, or the private affairs or concerns, of consumers, that would be offensive to a reasonable person; or
358358
359359 (D) Other substantial injury to consumers;
360360
361361 (4) The processing of sensitive data; and
362362
363363 (5) Any processing activities involving personal data that present a heightened risk of harm to consumers.
364364
365365 (c) Data protection assessments conducted pursuant to subsection (b) shall identify and evaluate the benefits, direct or indirect, that a controller, a consumer, other stakeholders, and the public may derive from processing against the potential risks to the rights of consumers associated with the processing, as mitigated by safeguards that may be employed by the controller to reduce these risks. The controller shall factor into this assessment the use of de-identified data, the reasonable expectations of consumers, the context of the processing, and the relationship between the controller and the consumer whose personal data is processed.
366366
367367 (d) The department may request, pursuant to a civil investigative demand, that a controller disclose any data protection assessment that is relevant to an investigation conducted by the department, and the controller shall make the data protection assessment available to the department. The department may evaluate the data protection assessment for compliance with the responsibilities set forth in section -5. Data protection assessments shall be confidential and exempt from the public inspection and copying requirements of chapter 92F. The disclosure of a data protection assessment pursuant to a request from the department shall not constitute a waiver of attorney‑client privilege or work product protection with respect to the assessment and any information contained in the assessment.
368368
369369 (e) A single data protection assessment may address a comparable set of processing operations that include similar activities.
370370
371371 (f) Data protection assessments conducted by a controller for the purpose of compliance with other laws may comply under this section if the assessments have a reasonably comparable scope and effect.
372372
373373 § -8 Processing de-identified data; exemptions. (a) A controller in possession of de-identified data shall:
374374
375375 (1) Take reasonable measures to ensure that the data cannot be associated with a natural person;
376376
377377 (2) Publicly commit to maintaining and using de-identified data without attempting to re-identify the data; and
378378
379379 (3) Contractually obligate any recipients of the de‑identified data to comply with this chapter.
380380
381381 (b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller or processor to:
382382
383383 (1) Re-identify de-identified data or pseudonymous data; or
384384
385385 (2) Maintain data in identifiable form, or collect, obtain, retain, or access any data or technological information, to be capable of associating an authenticated consumer request with personal data.
386386
387387 (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller or processor to comply with an authenticated consumer rights request received pursuant to section -3 if:
388388
389389 (1) The controller is not reasonably capable of associating the request with the personal data or it would be unreasonably burdensome for the controller to associate the request with the personal data;
390390
391391 (2) The controller does not use the personal data to recognize or respond to the specific consumer who is the subject of the personal data, or associate the personal data with other personal data about the same specific consumer; and
392392
393393 (3) The controller does not sell the personal data to any third party or otherwise voluntarily disclose the personal data to any third party other than a processor, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
394394
395395 (d) The consumer rights specified in sections -3(a)(1) through (4) and section -5 shall not apply to pseudonymous data when the controller is able to demonstrate that any additional information necessary to identify the consumer is kept separately and is subject to effective technical and organizational controls that:
396396
397397 (1) Ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person; and
398398
399399 (2) Prevent the controller from accessing the information.
400400
401401 (e) A controller that discloses pseudonymous data or de‑identified data shall exercise reasonable oversight to monitor compliance with any contractual commitments to which the pseudonymous data or de-identified data is subject and shall take appropriate steps to address any breaches of those contractual commitments.
402402
403403 § -9 Limitations. (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict a controller or processor's ability to:
404404
405405 (1) Comply with federal, state, or local laws, rules, or regulations;
406406
407407 (2) Comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons by federal, state, county, or other governmental authorities;
408408
409409 (3) Cooperate with law enforcement agencies concerning conduct or activity that the controller or processor reasonably and in good faith believes may violate federal, state, or county laws, rules, or regulations;
410410
411411 (4) Investigate, establish, exercise, prepare for, or defend legal claims;
412412
413413 (5) Provide a product or service specifically requested by a consumer; perform a contract to which the consumer is a party, including fulfilling the terms of a written warranty; or take steps at the request of the consumer before entering into a contract;
414414
415415 (6) Take immediate steps to protect an interest that is essential for the life or physical safety of the consumer or of another natural person if the processing cannot be manifestly based on another legal basis;
416416
417417 (7) Prevent, detect, protect against, or respond to security incidents, identity theft, fraud, harassment, malicious or deceptive activities, or any illegal activity; preserve the integrity or security of systems; or investigate, report, or prosecute those responsible for any of these actions;
418418
419419 (8) Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws and is approved, monitored, and governed by an independent oversight entity that determines whether:
420420
421421 (A) The deletion of the information is likely to provide substantial benefits that do not exclusively accrue to the controller;
422422
423423 (B) The expected benefits of the research outweigh the privacy risks; and
424424
425425 (C) The controller has implemented reasonable safeguards to mitigate privacy risks associated with research, including any risks associated with reidentification;
426426
427427 (9) Assist another controller, processor, or third party with any of the obligations under this subsection; or
428428
429429 (10) Process personal data for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, community health, or population health, but only to the extent that processing is:
430430
431431 (A) Subject to suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights of the consumer whose personal data is being processed; and
432432
433433 (B) Under the responsibility of a professional subject to confidentiality obligations under federal, state, or local law.
434434
435435 (b) The obligations imposed on controllers or processors under this chapter shall not restrict a controller or processor's ability to collect, use, or retain data to:
436436
437437 (1) Conduct internal research to develop, improve, or repair products, services, or technology;
438438
439439 (2) Effectuate a product recall;
440440
441441 (3) Identify and repair technical errors that impair existing or intended functionality; or
442442
443443 (4) Perform internal operations that are reasonably aligned with the expectations of the consumer, reasonably anticipated based on the consumer's existing relationship with the controller, or are otherwise compatible with processing data in furtherance of the provision of a product or service specifically requested by a consumer or the performance of a contract to which the consumer is a party.
444444
445445 (c) The obligations imposed on controllers or processors under this chapter shall not apply if the controller or processor's compliance with this chapter would violate an evidentiary privilege under state law. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a controller or processor from providing personal data concerning a consumer to a person covered by an evidentiary privilege under state law as part of a privileged communication.
446446
447447 (d) A controller or processor that discloses personal data to a third-party controller or processor in compliance with the requirements of this chapter shall not be deemed to be in violation of this chapter if the third-party controller or processor that receives and processes the personal data is in violation of this chapter; provided that, at the time of the disclosure of the personal data, the disclosing controller or processor did not have actual knowledge that the recipient intended to commit a violation. A third-party controller or processor that receives personal data from a controller or processor in compliance with the requirements of this chapter shall not be deemed to be in violation of this chapter if the controller or processor from which the third-party controller or processor receives the personal data is in violation of this chapter.
448448
449449 (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to:
450450
451451 (1) Impose an obligation on controllers and processors that adversely affects the rights or freedoms of any person, including the right of free expression pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; or
452452
453453 (2) Apply to the processing of personal data by a person in the course of a purely personal or household activity.
454454
455455 (f) Personal data processed by a controller pursuant to this section shall not be processed for any purpose other than those expressly listed in this section unless otherwise allowed by this chapter. Personal data processed by a controller pursuant to this section may be processed to the extent that the processing is:
456456
457457 (1) Reasonably necessary and proportionate to the purposes listed in this section; and
458458
459459 (2) Adequate, relevant, and limited to the processing necessary in relation to the specific purposes listed in this section; provided that for any personal data collected, used, or retained pursuant to subsection (b), the processor shall consider the nature and purpose or purposes of the collection, use, or retention; provided further that the personal data shall be subject to reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of the personal data and to reduce reasonably foreseeable risks of harm to consumers relating to the collection, use, or retention of personal data.
460460
461461 (g) If a controller processes personal data pursuant to an exemption provided in this section, the controller shall bear the burden of demonstrating that the processing qualifies for the exemption and complies with subsection (f).
462462
463463 (h) An entity's processing of personal data for the purposes expressly identified in subsection (a) shall not be the sole basis for the department to consider the entity as a controller with respect to the processing.
464464
465465 § -10 Investigative authority. The department may investigate alleged violations of this chapter pursuant to section 28-2.5 and any other applicable law.
466466
467467 § -11 Enforcement; civil penalty; expenses. (a) The department shall have exclusive authority to enforce this chapter.
468468
469469 (b) Before initiating any action under this chapter, the department shall provide a controller or processor a thirty-day written notice that identifies the specific provisions of this chapter that the controller or processor has allegedly violated. If, within the thirty-day period, the controller or processor cures the alleged violation and provides the department with an express written statement that the alleged violation has been cured and that no further violations shall occur, no action shall be initiated against the controller or processor.
470470
471471 (c) If a controller or processor continues to violate this chapter following the cure period provided for in subsection (b) or breaches the express written statement provided to the department pursuant to subsection (b), the department may:
472472
473473 (1) Initiate an action in the name of the State;
474474
475475 (2) Seek an injunction to restrain any violations of this chapter; and
476476
477477 (3) Seek to impose civil penalties of up to $7,500 for each violation under this chapter.
478478
479479 (d) For any action initiated under this chapter, the department may recover reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, that the department incurred in the investigation and preparation of the case.
480480
481481 (e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to provide the basis for, or be subject to, a private right of action for violations of this chapter or under any other law.
482482
483483 § -12 Consumer privacy special fund. (a) There is established in the state treasury the consumer privacy special fund into which shall be deposited:
484484
485485 (1) All civil penalties, expenses, and attorney fees collected pursuant to this chapter;
486486
487487 (2) Interest earned on moneys in the fund; and
488488
489489 (3) Appropriations made by the legislature.
490490
491491 (b) The fund shall be administered by the department. Moneys in the fund shall be used by the department to administer this chapter.
492492
493493 § -13 Rules. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary for the purposes of this chapter."
494494
495495 SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be deposited into the consumer privacy special fund.
496496
497497 SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the consumer privacy special fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for consumer data protection.
498498
499499 The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of the attorney general for the purposes of this Act.
500500
501501 SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
502502
503503 SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
504504
505505
506506
507507 INTRODUCED BY: _____________________________
508508
509509 INTRODUCED BY:
510510
511511 _____________________________
512512
513513
514514
515515
516516
517517 Report Title: AG; Consumer Data Protection; Privacy Rights; Consumer Privacy Special Fund; Appropriations Description: Establishes a framework to regulate controllers and processors with access to personal consumer data. Establishes penalties. Establishes the Consumer Privacy Special Fund to be administered by the Department of the Attorney General. Appropriates funds. The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
518518
519519
520520
521521
522522
523523
524524
525525 Report Title:
526526
527527 AG; Consumer Data Protection; Privacy Rights; Consumer Privacy Special Fund; Appropriations
528528
529529
530530
531531 Description:
532532
533533 Establishes a framework to regulate controllers and processors with access to personal consumer data. Establishes penalties. Establishes the Consumer Privacy Special Fund to be administered by the Department of the Attorney General. Appropriates funds.
534534
535535
536536
537537
538538
539539
540540
541541 The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.