California Governor Vetoed Data Privacy Bill
The rejected legislation would have imposed a categorical ban on the sale of consumer geolocation and biometric data.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Cybersecurity
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Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that aimed to restrict the sale and sharing of sensitive consumer information. The proposal would have prohibited the exchange of specific biometric and geolocation data.
Why it matters
The veto keeps existing regulations in place for how companies handle consumer data in California. The governor characterized the rejected measure as a step too far for state policy.
The vetoed bill specifically targeted the sale and sharing of sensitive consumer data including geolocation and biometric information. No alternative regulatory framework was proposed in the veto statement.
The players
Gavin Newsom
The Governor of California who holds the authority to sign or veto state legislation concerning consumer privacy.
The details
Governor Newsom exercised his executive authority to reject the bill on the grounds that its provisions represented a categorical ban on data practices. The proposal sought to place strict limits on how entities process and distribute private user metrics.
Timeline
September 28, 2026: Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the data privacy legislation.
The Tech Race
This veto marks a departure from the recent regulatory trajectory established by the California Consumer Privacy Act. It indicates a conflict between proposed strict constraints and the current legislative approach to data sales.
The veto means that no new immediate restrictions on the sale of geolocation or biometric data will take effect. Consumers will remain subject to existing privacy regulations without the added protections the bill would have codified.
The takeaway
The move reinforces the current status quo for data-handling companies operating within the state. Observers should track upcoming legislative sessions to see if a modified version of these privacy protections is introduced.
Further reading
For context on the current state of digital protection in the region, visit Cybersecurity.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Law360.
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Should states impose stricter bans on the sale of consumer geolocation and biometric data?
