Des Moines, Iowa — Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that’s designed to establish data privacy rights for Iowans.
The bill first passed the Iowa House last year and it cleared both the House and Senate unanimously this year. Representative Ray Sorensen of Greenfield is chairman of the Economic Growth and Technology Committee in the House.
Senator Chris Cournoyer of Le Claire says it’s a strong starting point.
Five other states have similar laws, but Cournoyer says Iowa is the first state in the Midwest to make this move.
Governor Reynolds says it’s never been more important to clearly and unmistakably say that consumers deserve a reasonable level of transparency and control over their personal data and she says this bill does that.
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia have passed similar laws. The laws generally require most websites to let consumers click a box saying they do not want their personal information captured on the website sold elsewhere. California requires so called data brokers to register with the state.
