California Consumer Data Privacy Protections Expanded Under Proposed Law
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF/AP) -- California consumers would have more power to sue corporations for misusing their data under a proposal to expand what already is the nation's most far-reaching law protecting personal information.
The measure is titled, Senate Bill 561 California Consumer Privacy act of 2018: Consumer remedies, and would require a majority vote in the state legislature.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Democratic state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson proposed revisions to the law Monday.
READ: Senate Bill 561 California Consumer Privacy act of 2018: Consumer remedies
Consumers would already be able to sue companies that collect their data if their information is stolen or disclosed in a data breach under the law that takes effect next year, but only if the company was careless or negligent.
The new legislation would expand a consumer's right to sue for damages to other violations under the law.
Consumers could recover damages "in an amount not less than one hundred dollars ($100) and not greater than seven hundred and fifty ($750) per consumer per incident or actual damages, whichever is greater."
Businesses that violate the law sould be subject to a civil penalties "of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for each violation or seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) for each intentional violation, which shall be exclusively assessed and recovered in a civil action brought in the name of the people of the State of California by the Attorney General."
SB 561 not only grants consumers recourse in the event of a data breach, but would give consumers the right to know what information businesses have collected on them, and demand to have that data deleted.