Montpelier, Vermont — Governor Phil Scott vetoed a groundbreaking privacy bill today. This bill included several novel provisions that would have made it one of the strongest state laws in the country. The bill also included baseline consumer rights, such as the right to access, delete, and stop the sale of their personal information and CR worked with lawmakers throughout the session to improve the legislation, including by requiring data minimization standards and a private right of action that would have allowed consumers to sue large companies when they violate the law.
“We are incredibly disappointed that Governor Scott caved to industry’s lobbying efforts and vetoed this landmark privacy legislation,” said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst at Consumer Reports. “Vermont consumers deserve the protections in this bill, especially the ability to hold big tech companies accountable when they misuse their most sensitive information. We remain hopeful that the legislature will override this veto with the support of the overwhelming majority of lawmakers that originally passed it.”
Five states have passed privacy laws this year, including New Jersey, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Maryland.
Contact: Cyrus Rassool, cyrus.rassool@consumer.org