Kentucky Sends Comprehensive Data Privacy Bill to Governor’s Desk

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) should veto a “weak” data privacy bill the House approved Wednesday, Consumer Reports said Thursday. The House passed HB-15 with a 94-0 vote. The Senate vote was 35-0 on March 11. The bill would grant consumer rights to access, correct and delete data and allow them to opt out of targeted advertising and sale of data. Kentucky's attorney general would have sole authority to penalize offenders under HR-15, which would go into effect in January 2026 if enacted. Consumer Reports Policy Analyst Matt Schwartz called HB-15 an “industry bill,” saying it “offers almost no new substantive limitations on how companies collect or process data.” The bill is similar to Virginia’s privacy law but lacks kids’ privacy protections the commonwealth added this year, Husch Blackwell’s David Stauss said in a blog post Thursday. The Kentucky bill treats biometric data similar to a privacy law in Connecticut, he said: Video, audio and related data isn’t considered biometric data “unless it is used to identify a specific individual.” Kentucky would become the 15th state to pass a comprehensive privacy law if Beshear signs.