Delaware Gov. John Carney this week signed a data privacy bill that will add to the complexities of organizations handling personal data.
Delaware joined about a dozen states with privacy laws, with one law firm noting that the First State legislation is among the most restrictive to date
According to the firm of WilmerHale, Delaware is one of two states that applies the law to nonprofits.
“Delaware only adds to the complexity that US businesses have to deal with in terms of privacy compliance in the absence of a preemptive federal law. While companies should be able to leverage their pre-existing privacy compliance programs to account for many of Delaware’s requirements, the addition of a new law and a new regulator increases the risk associated with non-compliance. Proper privacy compliance, therefore, should be a top priority for businesses,” the firm wrote.
The recurring costs of the law are projected to run $280,454 yearly, The state Attorney General’s office will have authority to prosecute violators of the law and will also be required to launch an education effort.
Click here for the full WilmerHale blog post that outlines the features of the law.
