After multiple delays, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has finally issued his proposed regulations for enforcing the California Consumer Privacy Act. The Attorney General has asked the state’s Office of Administration Law for expedited approval so enforcement can begin on July 1. AAF EVP-Government Affairs Clark Rector was one of a number of industry executives who spoke out in opposition to the regulations. Rector noted that the advertising industry, through its support of the Privacy for America Coalition, favors a strong national standard that is “more comprehensive than the CCPA, provides robust protections for consumers, clearly outlines prohibited data practices, and is backed by strong enforcement.”
A California judge has directed counties to complete their California Privacy Rights Act ballot initiative signature sample verification by the June 25 deadline to qualify for the November election. There had been some question as to whether the petitions had been filed in time. Late reports indicate that the initiative has reached the required signature threshold making in nearly certain that the measure will go before the voters in the Fall. The possibility of another California privacy bill, in addition to the CCPA, is further evidence of the need for a strong national standard as proposed by the AAF supported Privacy for America.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down a regulation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would have required pharmaceutical advertisers to list the “wholesale acquisition cost” of prescriptions in advertising for the drugs. Jim Davidson, counsel to The Advertising Coalition, a defender of commercial speech supported by AAF, summarizes the important issues in this memo.
Lawmakers in Hawaii are considering consumer privacy legislation. Like most state efforts, Hawaii HB 2572 would unduly restrict marketers’ ability to responsibly use data causing harm to both companies and consumers. More importantly, the legislation would contribute to a patchwork of inconsistent state laws and regulations dealing with privacy and provide yet another example of the importance of a national privacy standard as proposed by Privacy for America. AAF has joined a letter to legislative leaders explaining the shortcomings of the bill.
The AAF protects and promotes advertising at all levels of government through grassroots activities. Our nation-wide network monitors advertising-related legislation on local, state and federal levels. We put our members face-to-face with influential lawmakers while encouraging self-regulation as a preemptor to government intervention, when appropriate of course. To learn more about our advocacy efforts, click here.