The California Legislature is considering legislation that would amend the definition of sensitive personal information for purposes of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The bill, AB 947, was introduced by Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, D-Woodland Hills.
The Legislative Counsel’s Digest for the bill states, “The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) grants to a consumer various rights with respect to personal information, as defined, that is collected by a business, as defined, including the right to direct a business that collects sensitive personal information about the consumer to limit its use of the consumer’s sensitive personal information to that use which is necessary to perform the services or provide the goods reasonably expected by an average consumer who requests those goods or services, to perform the certain other services, and as authorized by certain regulations. The CCPA defines ‘sensitive personal information’ to mean personal information that reveals, among other things, a consumer’s racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs or union membership. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the Nov. 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA.
“The bill would define “sensitive personal information’ for purposes of the CCPA to additionally include personal information that reveals a consumer’s citizenship or immigration status,” the Legislative Counsel’s Digest added.