WASHINGTON – March 4, 2022 – BSA | The Software Alliance released the following statement on today’s passage of the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (SB 227).

“Consumers deserve strong, comprehensive protections that ensure their personal data is used in ways they expect. We’re pleased that Utah and other states are paying attention to the important issue of data privacy,” said Tom Foulkes, Senior Director, State Advocacy at BSA | The Software Alliance. “This bill takes an important step in acknowledging that companies must protect the privacy of consumers’ personal data and instill trust in technology. We’re pleased to see that this bill clearly distinguishes between companies that control consumer data and companies that process consumer data. This distinction ensures that privacy laws impose appropriate responsibilities on both parties, safeguarding privacy without creating new security risks. We look forward to working with state legislatures as they continue working through this key issue, and hope Congress will draw on the progress made in California, Colorado, Virginia, and Utah to create a comprehensive national privacy standard.”

To learn more about the importance of clear obligations for companies that handle consumer data, read BSA’s paper “The Global Standard: Distinguishing Between Controllers and Processors in State Privacy Legislation.”