Legislating Data Privacy Series: A Conversation With Florida Representative Fiona McFarland (Podcast)

In the fifth episode of our Legislating Data Privacy series, we talk with Florida Republican Representative Fiona McFarland.

In April, the Florida legislature was on the cusp of enacting consumer privacy legislation after both its House and Senate passed bills, although it ultimately was unable to pass a bill before adjourning. Representative McFarland was in the middle of this debate as the primary author of HB 969. A first term elected official, Representative McFarland threw herself into data privacy legislation, leaning on her prior experience in the Navy.

In this far-reaching interview, Representative McFarland discusses, among other topics, what happened behind-the-scenes with the Florida bills, her opinion on how data privacy legislation should be enforced, and the prospect for Florida to pass privacy legislation next year.