AB 378

Under this bill, except as specified below, no state agency or other body in Wisconsin state government, including the legislature and the courts, may share with the federal government data containing personally identifiable information unless the data is first masked or otherwise anonymized. Under the bill, any person who negligently violates that prohibition is liable to any person injured as a result of the violation for actual damages to that person, exemplary damages of not more than $1,000, and costs and reasonable actual attorney fees.

Notwithstanding the bill’s prohibition, under the bill, a state agency may share unmasked data with federal officials or agencies to the extent necessary to comply with other state law or federal law or to carry out the administration of a state or federal program; a member of the legislature may share unmasked data with federal officials or agencies to the extent necessary to carry out constituent relations or the member’s other official duties; and a court may share unmasked data with federal officials or agencies to the extent necessary to carry out the court’s official duties.