Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today urged members of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce to pass a federal data privacy law ahead of Wednesday’s hearing on data usage. The hearing, which will happen in the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, will discuss the “role of data brokers in the digital economy” in protecting the data privacy of consumers.

To ensure all Americans have the right to access, correct, and delete their personal data, Congress must pass a federal data privacy law. Since 2018, 178 privacy bills have been introduced in 45 states. This year alone, 27 states have introduced 55 comprehensive privacy bills. Consumers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Utah, and Virginia will all soon be regulated by different privacy laws. This growing patchwork is confusing consumers and having a chilling effect on our economy, especially for small businesses. A 50-state patchwork of privacy laws would cost our economy more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years, with more than $200 billion being paid by American small businesses.

The following can be attributed to TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore:

“Lawmakers rightly recognize that the need for one federal data privacy law has never been greater. Americans deserve to have their data privacy protected no matter where they live, and businesses need certainty about their responsibilities so they can spend their resources on creating jobs rather than paying legal bills. The emerging 50-state data privacy patchwork is having a chilling effect on the economy and confusing consumers who just want their private personal data protected and handled consistently from one transaction to the next. We’re pleased to see continued momentum to get a federal data privacy law across the finish line during the 118th Congress.”

For more information, go to technet.org/privacy.

Additional background:

  • Since 2018, 178 comprehensive privacy bills have been considered across 45 states. This year alone, 27 states have introduced 55 comprehensive privacy bills. Soon, consumers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Utah, and Virginia will all be regulated by different privacy laws.
  • If this trend continues, a 50-state patchwork of privacy laws would cost our economy more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years, with more than $200 billion being paid by American small businesses.
  • More than 83 percent of all voters, including 86 percent of Democrats and 81 percent of Republicans, ranked privacy legislation as a “top” or “important” Congressional priority.
  • Last year, Congress made significant strides in passing comprehensive federal privacy legislation. The American Data Privacy and Protection Act passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a bipartisan vote of 53-2. While the bill still needs further refinements to address several key issues before becoming law, this was a watershed moment for enacting a uniform federal standard.
  • TechNet has been a national leader in calling for federal privacy legislation. TechNet’s initiative, United for Privacy, has brought together partners across all sectors of the economy to advocate for legislation that protects consumers and American businesses by ending the patchwork of state privacy laws.