On June 29th, state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) requested that US Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, review American's data privacy laws. Building off the bipartisan agreement in Congress, Senators Duff and Maroney are requesting any legislation that US Senator Cantwell considers, not preempt stronger state laws.
 
Earlier this year, Senate Bill 6, An Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy And Online Monitoring, coauthored by Sen. Duff and Sen. Maroney, was passed in Connecticut. It was then signed into law by Governor Lamont on June 22. This law will help to protect consumers online in Connecticut. It establishes a framework for controlling and processing personal data, and establishes responsibilities and privacy protection standards for data controllers and processors. It also grants consumers the right to access, correct, delete and obtain a copy of personal data, and opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes. 
 
The letter Senator Duff and Senator Maroney sent to US Senator Cantwell is below:

Dear Chairwoman Cantwell:
 
We are writing to you with regards to the effort to legislate Americans' data privacy.
 
We were pleased to hear reports that you favor a strong bill. As coauthors of Connecticut's new data privacy law, Senate Bill 6 (Public Act 22-15), we know how difficult and complicated regulating consumer privacy can be. The sheer number of lobbyists hired in Connecticut to weaken or even kill the legislation is unlike anything we have ever seen in our careers in the Connecticut Legislature. In large part, this is the reason it took seven years to pass in Connecticut.
 
We respectfully request that any legislation you consider not preempt stronger state laws. We understand that several states have passed industry written laws that provide no protection, but believe that states such as Connecticut, California and Colorado have enacted many provisions that provide meaningful defenses against the unwanted sharing of information. We are particularly proud of the strongest child protections in the country present within our law.
 
We are hopeful that any bill that receives favorable action in the United States Congress will contain a universal opt-out, a strong definition of "sale," protections for children aged thirteen through sixteen and real penalties for violation of the law.
 
Thank you very much for your work and being a great ally.
 
Sincerely,
Bob Duff
Senate Majority Leader Senator
 
James Maroney
14th District