OLYMPIA – On Friday, March 6, the Washington state House of Representatives pushed forward bipartisan data privacy legislation that puts consumer protections first.
“The legislation passed by the House shifts power back into the hands of consumers,” said Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Kirkland, who sponsored a House companion bill. “I have been so heartened to watch the voices of consumers be woven into the fabric of this historic policy.”
The Washington Privacy Act (Second Substitute Senate Bill 6281) was passed out of the House 56 to 41. The legislation passed strengthens the ability of consumers to exercise newly proposed data privacy rights in Washington state.
“The House has put forward a strong policy that strikes a balance between innovation and consumer privacy rights,” said Rep. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila who chairs the House committee on Innovation, Technology and Economic Development (ITED). “Our number one priority should be giving consumers the full ability to exercise their rights under the Washington Consumer Protection Act.”
The House language of the 2020 Washington Privacy Act has support from the Washington State Attorney General, Washington State Association for Justice and Consumer Reports.
As the bill was amended in the House, it will now go back to the Senate for concurrence. The 60-day legislative session will conclude on March 12, 2020.