The House Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade subcommittee last week passed the Data Security and Breach Notification Act.
The bill, co-sponsored by House Energy & Commerce Committee vice chair Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), would require entities that collect personal information to secure it and provide notice to individuals if that security is breached.
It would do so by preempting the current "patchwork" of laws with a single, national protection/notification standard.
“For consumers and businesses, the Data Security and Breach Notification Standard bill is ‘win-win.’ It will protect consumers while giving businesses the flexibility to innovate," said Consumer Electronics Association president Gary Shapiro. "A uniform, nationwide standard, as proposed in this bill, will ensure that consumers everywhere - regardless of state lines - have the information they need to mitigate potential damage and protect their identities, while making it easier for businesses to protect their customers."
