Federal Privacy Bill Reignites California’s Preemption Worries

California policymakers want to preserve the state’s trend-setting work on consumer privacy protections as Congress considers new federal legislation that would override state laws.

The American Privacy Rights Act, unveiled April 7, would be the first comprehensive federal privacy law if enacted. The 140-page proposal, negotiated by House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), marks a significant breakthrough on a long-standing disagreement in Congress over preemption.

Congress has repeatedly failed to pass a federal data privacy standard, partly because California members have fought against what they viewed as weaker standards ...