California Privacy Rights Act Takes Effect…Sort Of

California Governor Newsom has signed Senate Bill 574 into law, establishing the nation's first statutory framework governing how attorneys and arbitrators use generative AI in their professional practice. The legislation creates specific obligations around confidentiality protection, accuracy verification, and disclosure requirements that take effect January 1, 2027.

Although being challenged by an injunction filed on August 20, 2026, by a coalition of 17 states, California’s SB 54 Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act is now in effect, and companies that sell, distribute, import, or ship packaged products into California should be evaluating whether they have compliance obligations.

Connecticut’s Governor has signed into law Public Act No. 26-64, “An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy and Protection,” which introduces substantial new compliance obligations for businesses that operate as data brokers...

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed several significant privacy bills that will reshape how businesses handle consumer data, including expanded deletion rights under the CCPA, shortened data broker response cycles, and sweeping new insurance sector privacy requirements. While one landmark bill banning the sale of sensitive personal information was vetoed, the approved legislation requires companies to update their deletion workflows...

Scott L. Vernick was quoted in The Legal Intelligencer article, "Did UPMC Data Breach Ruling Lock Plaintiffs Out of State Court?" on January 23, 2017.

California's 2026 legislative session concluded with Governor Newsom signing several landmark privacy and AI bills into law, including comprehensive child safety measures, AI auditor oversight frameworks, and expanded data protection requirements. How will these new regulations reshape digital advertising, workplace AI deployment, and online platform obligations for businesses operating in California?

Legal risk intensifies for companies offering online interactive features to minors across Georgia, Florida, and Alabama as the Eleventh Circuit vacates preliminary injunctions against state social media laws. With Florida's HB 3 and Georgia's SB 351 now enforceable and Alabama's HB 161 set to take effect January 1, 2027, businesses face divergent compliance requirements including age verification, parental consent mechanisms, and account deletion protocols.

Four states have adopted laws regulating data brokers, but only one – California – has established a universal deletion mechanism whereby consumers are able to request that all data brokers...

In the last few months, California and New Jersey enacted legislation to protect children online: California’s 13-bill package targets risks to children arising from emerging technologies, while New Jersey’s 3-bill package includes an age-appropriate design code. Despite their differences, these laws share a common focus on protecting children as technology evolves.

California is poised to enact a one-stop global deletion request option that all "data brokers" operating in the State would be required to follow.