Bills · 2021-2022 Regular Session
Relating to: privacy and security of customer information obtained by a broadband Internet access service provider and providing a penalty. (FE)
Agriculture trade and consumer protection department of Damage personal injury Data processing — Privacy issues District attorney Justice department of Telecommunications
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Governor signs, not reached
- Law, not reached
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill generally prohibits a broadband Internet access service provider
(“provider”) from using, disclosing, or permitting access to a customer's proprietary
information unless the customer grants approval to the provider to use, disclose, or
permit access to that information. The bill defines “customer” as 1) a current or
former subscriber to broadband Internet access service who resides in this state; or
2) a person who resides in this state and uses broadband Internet access service that
is provided under an agreement between a current or former subscriber who resides
in this state and a provider. With certain exceptions described below, the bill requires
different types of approval for sensitive and nonsensitive customer proprietary
information. For sensitive information, the customer must grant express,
affirmative consent after receiving a notification that is required to accompany a
provider's request to use, disclose, or permit access to that information. Sensitive
information includes the following: 1) financial information; 2) health information;
3) information pertaining to a child; 4) a social security number; 5) precise
geolocation information; 6) content of communications; and 7) web browsing history
and smart phone or tablet computer application usage history.
For nonsensitive information, the customer must object to the provider's
request to use, disclose, or permit access to that information after the customer
receives a notification that is required to accompany the provider's request. Under
the bill, nonsensitive information is the following information that is not sensitive
information: 1) information that is linked or reasonably able to be linked to an
individual or a device; or 2) information that identifies an individual and that relates
to the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, or amount of use
of broadband Internet access service.
Also, under the bill, a provider is prohibited from refusing to provide broadband
Internet access service because a customer or prospective customer does not grant
approval to the provider to use, disclose, or permit access to proprietary information.
The bill allows a provider to use, disclose, or permit access to both sensitive and
nonsensitive customer proprietary information without receiving the customer's
approval only for the following purposes: 1) to provide the broadband Internet access
service from which the information is derived; 2) to initiate, render, bill, or collect for
broadband Internet access service; 3) to protect the rights or property of a provider
or to protect users against fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of the service; 4) to
provide certain services to a customer during a real-time interaction with the
provider initiated by the customer; 5) to provide location information or nonsensitive
information in emergencies; or 6) as otherwise required or authorized by law.
Under the bill, when a provider requests approval to use, disclose, or permit
access to a customer's proprietary information, the provider's request must
accompany a notice that includes a specific description of the following: 1) the types
of customer proprietary information that the provider will collect from providing
What it would cost
Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs
Sponsors
Full history
- Jan 6, 2022 · Assembly
Introduced by Representatives Brostoff, Hebl, Milroy, Cabrera, Andraca, Anderson, Subeck and Sinicki; cosponsored by Senators Larson, Carpenter, Roys and Smith
- Jan 6, 2022 · Assembly
Read first time and referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities
- Feb 25, 2022 · Assembly
Fiscal estimate received
- Mar 15, 2022 · Assembly
Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1