Washington State legislators continue in their effort to pass only the
second comprehensive privacy legislation in the U.S., the
Washington Privacy Act (WPA). Introduced on January 11, 2021,
the WPA is currently making its way through committee
hearings. The debate continues, with the Washington State
Senate Ways & Means Committee recently holding a public hearing
to discuss the enforcement provision proposed in the WPA. Currently, $1.4 million is proposed
to the Washington State Attorney General's office for
enforcement of the WPA. Some are calling for an increased
budget, others for private right of action.
Current enforcement proposal
Enforcement will have a big impact on the effectiveness of any
privacy regulation, as was the case in the EU with GDPR's
record‑setting enforcement mechanism which included
governmental enforcement and private right of action, along with
large potential fines. The current draft of the WPA provides
for no private right of
