Dover, Delaware – Today, the Delaware General Assembly advanced a new privacy bill supported by Consumer Reports. If the bill is signed into law by Governor John Carney, Delaware would become the 12th state, after California, Utah, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Montana, Florida, and Texas to extend baseline privacy rights to consumers, including the right to access, delete, and stop certain disclosures of their personal information. The bill would become operative on January 1, 2025.
The Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act has several provisions that make it stronger that most other state laws:
- It requires companies to honor browser privacy signals, such as the Global Privacy Control, so that consumers can opt out of data sales at all companies in a single step;
- It expands coverage of children’s data protections to children under the age of 18 (rather than under 16); and
- The definitions of sensitive and biometric information are broader than most states.
“We commend Delaware lawmakers for their thoughtful contribution to the state privacy landscape,” said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst at Consumer Reports. “Instead of simply copying an existing law word for word, this bill makes some important contributions. At the same time, we urge legislators to close loopholes that remain, including those relating to loyalty programs, the definition of ‘targeted advertisement’, and enforcement.”