Vital changes were made by the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee before they unanimously passed the data privacy bill. The legislation is now a strong consumer privacy bill without placing an undue burden on Vermont businesses. In particular, the committee removed the controversial private right of action which would result in collateral damage of rampant litigation placing undue strain on businesses and non-profits of all sizes. It instead asks a technology-based state council under the purview of the Agency of Digital Services to look into a path forward. Additionally, the bill brings it back to a place of interoperability with other New England state data privacy laws. The bill will likely be on the Senate floor for a vote next week.

Businesses testified in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee on the importance of the Senate changes. Jim Hall, CEO of the Vermont Country Store, stated that the House-passed version of the bill would effectively slow down the economy. We encourage more businesses to reach out to their House and Senate members and ask them to support that bill as it has been amended by the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee.