Bill seeks to better protect consumer data
New legislation would protect consumer information by requiring companies to take proactive steps to defend against cyberattacks and breaches as well as set standards for notifying patients in the wake of a breach.
The Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 2015 was introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.).
The bill would require companies storing personal or financial information on more than 10,000 customers to meet privacy and data security standards to safeguard the information, as well as notify customers within 30 days of a breach.
Information requiring protection includes Social Security numbers, financial account information, online usernames and passwords, unique biometric data like fingerprints, health data, geolocation information and private digital photographs and videos.
Companies storing this information would be required to inform federal large enforcement of all large breaches and any breaches involving federal government databases, law enforcement or national security personnel.
The bill would establish a federal baseline of consumer privacy protections that preempt the weaker individual state laws.
Access the bill.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.