U.S. State Privacy Laws

With the U.S. federal government sticking to a sectoral approach to data protection laws and regulations, only addressing subsets and specific markets such as healthcare, education and financial institutions, U.S. states have led the way.

California was the first U.S. state—in 2018—with the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). The CCPA was the first broad, omnibus data protection law in the U.S. following in the footsteps of Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation. States across the U.S. began to “kick the tires” on passing similar legislation. Since then the flood gates opened.

There are also less recent laws that similarly touch on data protection, like the existing Nevada Security and Privacy of Personal Information law enacted in 2005 and most recently amended in 2021. Nevada’s law focused on requiring website operators to have privacy notices in place, but was also the first U.S. state law to codify the concept of “selling” personal information and a right for consumers to opt-out of such selling. While not an omnibus, overarching law like California’s and the other U.S. states, it shows how data protection regulation has grown in the U.S.

There are now almost two dozen U.S. states with omnibus data protection laws in place. While they vary in scope and applicability—with Florida having the most narrow and Texas likely having the most broad applicability thresholds respectively—they all address similar concepts: (i) transparency and notice requirements; (ii) data minimization principles (using the least amount of data for specific purposes, for the least amount of time); (iii) data subject privacy rights; (iv) special protections for sensitive personal data; (v) data security principles; (vi) vendor due diligence and management; and (vii) data protection reviews and audits.

The above list is not exhaustive. But it provides an example of the different requirements comprehensive data protection laws set forth and what businesses must consider in order to stay compliant with the expanding arena of U.S. state data protection laws.

For a high-level synopsis of U.S. state data protection laws and key requirements, please see below.

*Updated September 12, 2025

The Benesch Data Protection Team is composed of attorneys from the firm’s Intellectual Property, Healthcare, Labor & Employment, and Litigation Practice Groups.