Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of innovation economy CEOs and senior executives, today sent a letter to Congress calling for the passage of a federal data privacy law. The following can be attributed to TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore:

“The need for a national data privacy law has never been greater. Fifteen state legislatures have passed comprehensive data privacy laws, including New Hampshire just last week, bringing the total number of state privacy bills passed since the start of 2023 to 10. With additional states looking to take action this year, this growing patchwork of laws is confusing consumers and having a chilling effect on our economy. Failing to pass a federal data privacy law will cost our economy more than $1 trillion over ten years, with $200 billion being paid by small businesses.

“While consensus on Capitol Hill is hard to come by, the need for federal privacy legislation is a winning issue with the American people. Polls show that 83% of all voters, including 86% of Democrats and 81% of Republicans, support the passage of a federal data privacy law.

“Now is the time for Congress to act and pass one federal data privacy standard that ensures everyone, no matter their age or where they live, has the right to access, correct, and delete their data, mitigates abusive lawsuits against small businesses, and provides companies certainty about their responsibilities so they can spend their resources on creating jobs rather than paying legal bills.”

TechNet has been a national leader in calling for federal privacy legislation. TechNet’s initiative, United for Privacy, brings together a unified, cross-industry voice underscoring the urgent need to pass a federal data privacy law.

Read our letter to Congress here and find more information on the need for a federal data privacy law at technet.org/privacy.

Background:

  • Since 2018, 196 comprehensive privacy bills have been considered across 46 states.
  • In 2023, 31 states introduced 66 comprehensive privacy bills.
  • 15 state legislatures have passed comprehensive privacy bills: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
  • If this trend continues, a 50-state patchwork of privacy laws would cost our 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 small businesses (50-249 employees) is $2 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.
  • The TechNet-led United for Privacy coalition held an event last summer 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.