CIPA Reform Makes Its Way To Governor’s Desk

We have been writing about the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) for a while now. From demand letters flooding our clients’ inboxes to the wave of class action filings targeting standard website tracking tools, this 1967 wiretapping statute has proven uniquely susceptible to claims that bear little resemblance to the covert surveillance it was originally designed to prevent.

On August 28, 2026, the California Legislature unanimously passed Senate Bill 690, and for businesses that have been on the receiving end of pen register litigation, the bill represents the most significant relief to date.

Here is what you need to know.

What SB 690 Does

At its core, SB 690 eliminates the private right of action for pen register and trap and trace claims under Section 638.51 of the California Penal Code when the alleged violation arises from conduct on a website, online application, or mobile application. Going forward, only the California Attorney General can bring those claims