Maroney, Duff Delany Statement on House Passing Consumer Privacy Bill
Today, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), and state Representative Hubert Delany (Stamford) are celebrating the House passage of Senate Bill 4, ‘An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy and Protection.”
Senate Bill 4 will safeguard Connecticut residents’ personal information from exploitation by data brokers, surveillance technology companies, and federal agencies.
“Today’s passage of Senate Bill 4 by the House is a tremendous victory for every Connecticut resident,” said Sen. Maroney. “This bill puts protections on Facial Recognition, makes it easier to exercise your right to delete your data from data brokers and people tracking websites, and prevents predatory surveillance pricing. “It has been a privilege to collaborate with my colleagues in the effort to protect the residents of Connecticut.”
“As technology evolves, our laws must evolve with it. Senate Bill 4 takes critical action to strengthen privacy protections, promote transparency, and ensure Connecticut consumers are treated fairly,” said Rep. Hubert Delany. “Connecticut residents deserve to know that their personal information is protected. I want to thank my Co-Chair and members of the AI Caucus for getting this legislation across the finish line and to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.”
“The passage of Senate Bill 4 is about more than policy, it’s about protecting people’s lives,” said Sen. Duff. “I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences that can follow when personal data falls into the wrong hands. Connecticut residents deserve to know their personal information cannot be bought and sold without their knowledge. I am proud that the House joined us in passing this critical legislation.”
Senate Bill 4 introduces comprehensive privacy measures that address emerging threats to consumer data. The bill tackles critical privacy concerns, including the lightly regulated sale of geolocation data, and facial recognition technology, and the exploitative practices of data brokers.
Senate Bill 4 will target the following specific threats to consumer privacy:
- Data brokers: Consumers may request, at no cost, the deletion of any personal data collected by a data broker.
- Facial recognition: Businesses using facial recognition in public spaces must disclose it at each entrance and provide a process for consumers to request removal of their images.
- Dynamic pricing: Strict disclosure requirements apply when businesses use algorithmic pricing to increase prices.
- Geolocation data: Controllers and processors are banned from selling or sharing precise geolocation data.
- Genetic Testing: Consumers would have the right to their own genetic data when using direct to consumer genetic testing services, and create more transparency in their policies.
- Volume of Ads: Streaming platforms cannot transmit the audio of any commercial advertisement at a volume that is louder than the volume established by the Federal Communications Commission for television commercials.
Real-World Harm Driving the Legislation
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff submitted written testimony and explained how his friend and colleague, Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were assassinated last summer. Although this terrible tragedy was widely reported in the news, what most people do not know is that the murderer, Vance Boelter, obtained Speaker Hortman’s residential address through data broker websites. For just a few dollars, anyone can gain access to personal sensitive information, including home addresses, phone numbers, and even photos of legislators’ homes and license plates.
Earlier this year, Wegmans disclosed the use of facial recognition in its stores, raising concerns that such data could be sold or shared with federal immigration agencies, a concern already realized with geolocation data, which ICE has purchased from commercial data brokers.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michelle Rappaport | Michelle.Rappaport@cga.ct.gov| 860-240-8671