Press Release: 2024-06-11

TechNet Joins United for Privacy Coalition in Letter Urging Congress to Include a Uniform National Privacy Standard in the American Privacy Rights Act

 



June 10, 2024 



Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today joined 21 other partners of the United for Privacy Coalition in a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee urging Congress to include a single, uniform national privacy standard in the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) that ends the growing patchwork of state privacy laws.



In the letter, the United for Privacy coalition writes: “Although our organizations have a range of views on APRA, we all agree that full preemption of state law is an essential component of any meaningful federal privacy legislative effort. We agree with the legislation’s goal of providing a uniform national privacy standard. However, as drafted, APRA falls short of creating a uniform national standard due to its inadequate federal preemption of the ever-growing patchwork of state privacy laws. Without full preemption of state laws, APRA will add to the privacy patchwork, create confusion for consumers, and hinder economic growth.”



The following statement can be attributed to TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore:



“Since 2018, 46 states have considered 210 comprehensive data privacy bills. Twenty state legislatures have passed different, often conflicting data privacy laws, including seven states just this year. This growing patchwork is confusing consumers and having a chilling effect on our economy. If this trend continues, a 50-state privacy patchwork would cost the American economy more than $1 trillion over 10 years, with $200 billion being paid by small businesses.



“The need for one national privacy standard has never been greater. Unfortunately, as drafted, the American Privacy Rights Act falls short of this goal. It would add to the growing privacy patchwork, not end it. We need a federal privacy law that works for all of America. That is why industries across our economy are united in urging Congress to make substantive changes to the American Privacy Rights Act before it can move forward.”



United for Privacy is a TechNet-led initiative that brings together a unified, cross-industry voice underscoring the urgent need to pass a federal data privacy law this Congress. United for Privacy members have long called for the enactment of a comprehensive federal data privacy law to protect consumers and provide businesses of all sizes with certainty about their compliance responsibilities. Last summer, the United for Privacy coalition held an event on Capitol Hill that brought together lawmakers, small business owners, and organizations representing the entire U.S. economy to discuss the need for a federal data privacy law. You can watch the event here.



In addition to TechNet, the United for Privacy coalition includes ACT | The App Association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the American Escrow Association, the American Financial Services Association, the Association of National Advertisers, BSA | The Software Alliance, the Business Roundtable, the California Life Sciences Association, Center for American Entrepreneurship, Chamber of Progress, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), the Consumer Technology Association, the Electronic Transactions Association, Engine, the Entertainment Software Association, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the Marketplace Industry Association, the National Apartment Association, the National Business Coalition on E-Commerce and Privacy, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the National Multifamily Housing Council, NetChoice, the Security Industry Association, the Software & Information Industry Association, TECNA, Travel Tech, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the XR Association. Learn more at endtheprivacypatchwork.com.



You can read the United for Privacy coalition letter to Congress here.



Background:




  • Since 2018, 210 comprehensive privacy bills have been considered across 46 states.

  • In 2024, 13 states have introduced 21 comprehensive privacy bills; to date this year, seven states have passed privacy legislation.

  • Twenty state legislatures have passed comprehensive privacy bills: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.

  • A 50-state patchwork of privacy laws would cost the U.S. economy more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years, with more than $200 billion being paid by American small businesses.

  • The average privacy spend of a small business (50-249 employees) in 2023 was $1.5 million, up from $1.1 million in 2020.

  • More than 83 percent of all voters, including 86 percent of Democrats and 81 percent of Republicans, ranked privacy legislation as a “top” or “important” Congressional priority.