VT Retailers’ Opposition to Data Privacy Bill, Minors’ Social Media Access Bill in AK & More

VT Retailers Fight Data Privacy Bill

Orvis and other online retailers based in Vermont are mounting an effort to scale back comprehensive consumer data privacy legislation (HB 121) that has been passed by the state’s House. The opposition campaign is similar to one L.L. Bean and other companies successfully waged against a consumer data privacy measure (HB 1270 a) in Maine earlier this year.

The bills in both states have drawn opposition from businesses because they don’t conform to an industry-approved template that shaped legislation passed in over a dozen states.

Rep. Monique Priestley (D), one of the co-sponsors of the Vermont bill, said it was designed to be a tougher version of the data privacy law passed in Connecticut in 2022, with a private right of action allowing individuals to sue companies that violate the law, which businesses strongly oppose. (PLURIBUS NEWS)

AK House Passes Bill to Ban Minors’ Access to Social Media

Alaska’s House passed legislation (HB 254) that would prohibit children under the age of 14 from creating social media accounts. The proposed restriction was an amendment to the bill, which would require websites that distribute pornography to verify users are at least 18 years old. (ALASKA PUBLIC MEDIA, LEXISNEXIS STATE NET)

CO Senate Panel Advances AI Notification Bill

Colorado’s Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill (SB 205) that would require companies to notify consumers whenever artificial intelligence is used, as well as perform risk assessments on their AI tools. The bill now goes to the full Senate, but there was skepticism it could make it through the legislature before the session ends on May 8. (COLORADO SUN, LEXISNEXIS STATE NET)

 —Compiled by SNCJ Managing Editor KOREY CLARK

Visit our webpage to connect with a LexisNexis® State Net® representative and learn how the State Net legislative and regulatory tracking service can help you identify, track, analyze and report on relevant legislative and regulatory developments.