On Monday, July 1, two new privacy laws will come into effect in the United States, specifically in the states of Texas and Oregon. These laws, known as the Texas Privacy Act (TDPSA) and the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA), are designed to enhance consumer privacy rights and give individuals more control over their personal information. Here's what you need to know about these new laws.

Texas Privacy Act (TDPSA)

The Texas Privacy Act applies to companies that conduct business in Texas, process or engage in the sale of personal data, and and are not considered small business, as defined by the United States Small Business Administration. This is a very wide scope that should affect many companies.

The TDPSA is a comprehensive law that grants consumers various rights regarding their personal information. Under the TDPSA, Texas residents have the right to know what personal information businesses have collected about them, the right to correct inaccurate data, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal information. The law also requires businesses to obtain consent before collecting certain categories of sensitive data.

Additionally, the TDPSA imposes data security requirements on businesses, mandating them to implement reasonable security procedures to protect consumer information.

Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA)

The Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) applies to companies that provide products or services to Oregon and residents and controls or processes the personal data of at least 100,000 consumers or controls or processes the personal data of at least 25,000 consumers and derives more than 25% of gross revenue from the sale of personal information.

The OCPA shares similar goals with the TDPSA, such as the right to know what personal information businesses have collected about them, the right to correct inaccurate data, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal information.

Preparing for the New Privacy Laws

With the effective date of July 1 fast approaching, businesses operating in Texas and Oregon, or those that have customers in these states, should take steps to ensure compliance with the TDPSA and OCPA. This includes reviewing and updating data collection practices, privacy policies, and data security measures. It is important to understand the specific requirements of each law and how they apply to your organization.

If you need any help implementing TDPSA or OCPA, ZenPrivata’s privacy advisors and privacy platform are designed to make things simple.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.