Privacy Bill Talks Stall in Senate Amid Debate Over Lawsuits

Senators working on a federal privacy bill have hit an impasse over whether to allow individuals to sue companies over privacy violations, the second-ranking Senate Republican said Wednesday.

“We continue to be hopeful, but at this point, there isn’t any path forward at the moment,” Senate Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who was part of an original group of senators working on a bipartisan privacy bill, told reporters.

Lawmakers have been working on a broad federal privacy legislation in an effort to develop a national standard as states, including California, have enacted local policies. Companies have looked for a federal ...