H. Consumers need stronger laws to place them on a more equal footing when negotiating with businesses in order to protect their rights. Consumers should be entitled to a clear explanation of the uses of their personal information, including how it is used for advertising, and to control, correct, or delete it, including by allowing consumers to limit businesses' use of their sensitive personal information to help guard against identity theft, to opt-out of the sale and sharing of their personal information, and to request that businesses correct inaccurate information about them.
(a) A consumer shall have the right to request that a business delete any personal information about the consumer which the business has collected from the consumer.
(b) A business that collects personal information about consumers shall disclose, pursuant to Section 1798.130, the consumer's rights to request the deletion of the consumer's personal information.
(c) (1) A business that receives a verifiable consumer request from a consumer to delete the consumer's personal information pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section shall delete the consumer's personal information from its records, notify any service providers or contractors to delete the consumer's personal information from their records, and notify all third parties to whom the business has sold or shared such personal information, to delete the consumer's personal information, unless this proves impossible or involves disproportionate effort.
(2) The business may maintain a confidential record of deletion requests solely for the purpose of preventing the personal information of a consumer who has submitted a deletion request from being sold, for compliance with laws, or for other purposes solely to the extent permissible under this title.
(3) A service provider or contractor shall cooperate with the business In responding to a verifiable consumer request, and at the direction of the business, shall delete, or enable the business to delete, and shall notify any of its own service providers or contractors to delete, personal information about the consumer collected, used, processed, or retained by the service provider or the contractor. The service provider or contractor shall notify any service providers, contractors or third parties who may have accessed such personal information from or through the service provider or contractor, unless the information was accessed at the direction of the business, to delete the consumer's personal information, unless this proves impossible or involves disproportionate effort. A service provider or contractor shall not be required to comply with a deletion request submitted by the consumer directly to the service provider or contractor to the extent that the service provider or contractor has collected, used, processed, or retained the consumer's personal information in its role as a service provider or contractor to the business.
(d) A business, or a service provider or contractor, acting pursuant to its contract with the business, another service provider, or another contractor, shall not be required to comply with a consumer's request to delete the consumer's personal information if it is reasonably necessary for the business, service provider, or contractor to maintain the consumer's personal information in order to:
(1) Complete the transaction for which the personal information was collected, fulfill the terms of a written warranty or product recall conducted in accordance with federal law, provide a good or service requested by the consumer, or reasonably anticipated by the consumer within the context of a business's ongoing business relationship with the consumer, or otherwise perform a contract between the business and the consumer.
(a) A consumer shall have the right to request a business that maintains inaccurate personal information about the consumer, correct such inaccurate personal information, taking into account the nature of the personal information and the purposes of the processing of the personal information.
(b) A business that collects personal information about consumers shall disclose, pursuant to Section 1798.130, the consumer's right to request correction of inaccurate personal information.
(c) A business that receives a verifiable consumer request to correct inaccurate personal information shall use commercially reasonable efforts to correct the inaccurate personal information, as directed by the consumer, pursuant to Section 1798.130 and regulations adopted pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185.
(a) A consumer shall have the right to request that a business that collects personal information about the consumer disclose to the consumer the following:
(b) A business that collects personal Information about a consumer shall disclose to the consumer, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.130, the information specified in subdivision (a) upon receipt of a verifiable consumer request from the consumer, provided that a business shall be deemed to be in compliance with paragraphs (1) through (4) of subdivision (a) of this Section to the extent that the categories of information and the business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling or sharing personal information it would be required to disclose to the consumer pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (4) of subdivision (a) is the same as the information it has disclosed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (4) of subdivision (c) of this Section.
(5) That a consumer has the right to request the specific pieces of personal information the business has collected about that consumer.
(a) A consumer shall have the right to request that a business that sells or shares the consumer's personal information, or that discloses it for a business purpose, disclose to that consumer:
(b) A business that sells or shares personal information about a consumer, or that discloses a consumer's personal information for a business purpose, shall disclose, pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.130, the information specified In subdivision (a) to the consumer upon receipt of a verifiable consumer request from the consumer.
(a) A consumer shall hove the right, at any time, to direct a business that collects sensitive personal information about the consumer to limit its use of the consumer's sensitive personal information to that use which is necessary to perform the services or provide the goods reasonably expected by an average consumer who requests such goods or services, to perform the services set forth in paragraphs (2), (4), (5), and (8) of subdivision (e) of Section 1798.140, and as authorized by regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (19) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185. A business that uses or discloses a consumer's sensitive personal information for purposes other than those specified in this subdivision shall provide notice to consumers, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1798.135, that this information may be used, or disclosed to a service provider or contractor, for additional, specified purposes and that consumers have the right to limit the use or disclosure of their sensitive personal information.
(3) A business may enter a consumer Into a financial Incentive program only if the consumer gives the business prior opt-in consent pursuant to Section l798.l30 that clearly describes the material terms of the financial Incentive program, and which may be revoked by the consumer at any time. If a consumer refuses to provide opt-in consent, then the business shall wait for at least 12 months before next requesting that the consumer provide opt-in consent, or as prescribed by regulations adopted pursuant to Section 1798.185.
(1) (A) Make available to consumers two or more designated methods for submitting requests for information required to be disclosed pursuant to Sections 1798.110 and 1798.115, or requests for deletion or correction pursuant to Sections 1798.105 and 1798.106, respectively, including, at a minimum, a toll-free telephone number. A business that operates exclusively online and has a direct relationship with a consumer from whom it collects personal information shall only be required to provide an email address for submitting requests for information required to be disclosed pursuant to Sections 1798.110 and 1798.115, or for requests for deletion or correction pursuant to Sections 1798.105 and 1798.106, respectively.
(B) If the business maintains an internet website, make the internet website available to consumers to submit requests for information required to be disclosed pursuant to Sections 1798.110 and 1798.115, or requests for deletion or correction pursuant to Sections 1798.105 and 1798.106, respectively.
(2) (A) Disclose and deliver the required information to a consumer free of charge, or correct inaccurate personal information, or delete a consumer's personal information, based on the consumer's request, within 45 days of receiving a verifiable consumer request from the consumer. The business shall promptly take steps to determine whether the request is a verifiable consumer request, but this shall not extend the business's duty to disclose and deliver the information, or correct inaccurate personal information or delete personal information, within 45 days of receipt of the consumer's request. The time period to provide the required information, or to correct inaccurate personal information or delete personal information, may be extended once by an additional 45 days when reasonably necessary, provided the consumer is provided notice of the extension within the first 45-day period. The disclosure of the required information shall be made In writing and delivered through the consumer's account with the business, if the consumer maintains an account with the business, or by mail or electronically at the consumer's option if the consumer does not maintain an account with the business, in a readily useable format that allows the consumer to transmit this information from one entity to another entity without hindrance. The business may require authentication of the consumer that is reasonable in light of the nature of the personal information requested, but shall not require the consumer to create an account with the business In order to make a verifiable consumer request, provided that if the consumer has an account with the business, the business may require the consumer to use that account to submit a verifiable consumer request.
(8) The disclosure of the required information shall cover the 12-month period preceding the business's receipt of the verifiable consumer request, provided that, upon the adoption of a regulation pursuant to paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185, a consumer may request that the business disclose the required information beyond the 12-month period and the business shall be required to provide such information unless doing so proves impossible or would involve a disproportionate effort. A consumer's right to request required information beyond the 12-month period, and a business's obligation to provide such information, shall only apply to personal Information collected on or after January 1, 2022. Nothing in this subparagraph shall require a business to keep personal information for any length of time.
(3) (A) A business that receives a verifiable consumer request pursuant to sections 1798.110 or 1798.115 shall disclose any personal information it has collected about a consumer, directly or indirectly, including through or by a service provider or contractor, to the consumer. A service provider or contractor shall not be required to comply with a verifiable consumer request received directly from a consumer or a consumer's authorized agent pursuant to sections 1798.110 or 1798.115 to the extent that the service provider or contractor has collected personal information about the consumer in its role as a service provider or contractor. A service provider or contractor shall provide assistance to a business with which it has a contractual relationship with respect to the business's response to a verifiable consumer request, including but not limited to by providing to the business the consumer's personal information in the service provider or contractor's possession, which the service provider or contractor obtained as a result of providing services to the business, and by correcting inaccurate information, or by enabling the business to do the same. A service provider or contractor that collects personal information pursuant to a written contract with a business shall be required to assist the business through appropriate technical and organizational measures in complying with the requirements of subdivisions (d) through (f) of Section 1798.100, taking into account the nature of the processing.
(i) To identify the consumer, associate the information provided by the consumer in the verifiable consumer request to any personal information previously collected by the business about the consumer.
(iii) Provide the specific pieces of personal information obtained from the consumer in a format that is easily understandable to the average consumer, and to the extent technically feasible, in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format, which also may be transmitted to an other entity at the consumer's request without hindrance. "Specific pieces of information" do not include data generated to help ensure security and integrity or as prescribed by regulation. Personal information is not considered to have been disclosed by a business when a consumer instructs a business to transfer the consumer's personal information from one business to another in the context of switching services.
(A) Identify the consumer and associate the information provided by the consumer In the verifiable consumer request to any personal information previously collected by the business about the consumer.
(A) A description of a consumer's rights pursuant to Sections 1798.100, 1798.105, 1798.106, 1798.110, 1798.115, and 1798.125 and two or more designated methods for submitting requests, except as provided in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(7) Use any personal information collected from the consumer in connection with the business's verification of the consumer's request solely for the purposes of verification, and shall not further disclose the personal information, retain it longer than necessary for purposes of verification, or use it for unrelated purposes.
(4) In the event that a business responds to opt-out requests received pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) by informing the consumer of a charge for the use of any product or service, present the terms of any financial incentive offered pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1798.125 for the retention, use, sale, or sharing of the consumer's personal information.
(4) For consumers who exercise their right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of their personal information or limit the use or disclosure of their sensitive personal information, refrain from selling or sharing the consumer's personal information or using or disclosing the consumer's sensitive personal information and wait for at least 12 months before requesting that the consumer authorize the sale or sharing of the consumer's personal information or the use and disclosure of the consumer's sensitive personal information for additional purposes, or as authorized by regulations.
(5) For consumers under 16 years of age who do not consent to the sale or sharing of their personal information, refrain from selling or sharing the personal information of the consumer under 16 years of age, and wait for at least 12 months before requesting the consumer's consent again, or as authorized by regulations or until the consumer attains 16 years of age.
(6) Use any personal information collected from the consumer In connection with the submission of the consumer's opt-out request solely for the purposes of complying with the opt out request.
(e) A consumer may authorize another person to opt-out of the sale or sharing of the consumer's personal information, and to limit the use of the consumer's sensitive personal information, on the consumer's behalf, including through an opt-out preference signal, as defined In paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of this Section, indicating the consumer's intent to opt-out, and a business shall comply with an opt-out request received from a person authorized by the consumer to act on the consumer's behalf, pursuant to regulations adopted by the Attorney General, regardless of whether the business has elected to comply with subdivision (a) or (b) of this Section. For purposes of clarity, a business that elects to comply with subdivision (a) of this Section may respond to the consumer's opt-out consistent with Section 1798.125.
(f) If a business communicates a consumer's opt-out request to any person authorized by the business to collect personal information, the person shall thereafter only use such consumer's personal information for a business purpose specified by the business, or as otherwise permitted by this title, and shall be prohibited from: (1) selling or sharing the personal information; or (2) retaining, using, or disclosing such consumer's personal information: (A) for any purpose other than for the specific purpose of performing the services offered to the business, (B) outside of the direct business relationship between the person and the business, or (C) for a commercial purpose other than providing the services to the business.
(g) A business that communicates a consumer's opt-out request to a person pursuant to subdivision (f) shall not be liable under this title if the person receiving the opt-out request violates the restrictions set forth in the title, provided that, at the time of communicating the opt-out request, the business does not have actual knowledge, or reason to believe, that the person intends to commit such a violation. Any provision of a contractor agreement of any kind that purports to waive or limit in any way this subdivision shall be void and unenforceable.
(n) "Designated methods for submitting requests" means a mailing address, email address, internet webpage, internet web portal, toll-free telephone number, or other applicable contact information, whereby consumers may submit a request or direction under this title, and any new, consumer-friendly means of contacting a business, as approved by the Attorney General pursuant to Section 1798.185.
(ak) "Verifiable consumer request" means a request that is made by a consumer, by a consumer on behalf of the consumer's minor child, by a natural person or a person registered with the Secretary of State, authorized by the consumer to act on the consumer's behalf, or by a person who has power of attorney or is acting as a conservator for the consumer, and that the business can verify, using commercially reasonable methods, pursuant to regulations adopted by the Attorney General pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185 to be the consumer about whom the business has collected personal information. A business is not obligated to provide information to the consumer pursuant to Sections 1798.110 and.1798.115, to delete personal information pursuant to Section 1798,105, or to correct inaccurate personal information pursuant to Section 1798,106, if the business cannot verify, pursuant to this subdivision and regulations adopted by the Attorney General pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185, that the consumer making the request is the consumer about whom the business has collected information or is a person authorized by the consumer to act on such consumer's behalf.
(2) Comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons by federal, state, or local authorities. Law enforcement agencies, including police and sheriffs departments, may direct a business pursuant to a law enforcement agency-approved investigation with an active case number not to delete a consumer's personal information and upon receipt of such direction a business shall not delete the personal information for 90 days, in order to allow the law enforcement agency to obtain a court-issued subpoena, order, or warrant to obtain a consumer's personal information. For good cause and only to the extent necessary for investigatory purposes, a law enforcement agency may direct a business not to delete the consumer's personal information for additional 90 day periods. A business that has received direction from a law enforcement agency not to delete the personal information of a consumer who has requested deletion of the consumer's personal information shall not use the consumer's personal information for any purpose other than retaining it to produce to law enforcement in response to a court-issued subpoena, order, or warrant, unless the consumer's deletion request is subject to an exemption from deletion under this title.
(4) Cooperate with a government agency request for emergency access to a consumer's personal information if a natural person is at risk or danger of death or serious physical injury, provided that: (A) the request is approved by a high-ranking agency officer for emergency access to a consumer's personal information; (B) the request is based on the agency's good faith determination that it has a lawful basis to access the information on a non-emergency basis; and (C) the agency agrees to petition a court for an appropriate order within three days and to destroy the information if that order is not granted.
(h) Notwithstanding a business's obligations to respond to and honor consumer rights requests pursuant to this title:
(1) A time period for a business to respond to a consumer for any verifiable consumer request may be extended by up to a total of 90 days where necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the requests. The business shall inform the consumer of any such extension within 45 days of receipt of the request, together with the reasons for the delay.
(2) If the business does not take action on the request of the consumer, the business shall inform the consumer, without delay and at the latest within the time period permitted of response by this section, of the reasons for not taking action and any rights the consumer may have to appeal the decision to the business.
(3) If requests from a consumer are manifestly unfounded or excessive, in particular because of their repetitive character, a business may either charge a reasonable fee, taking into account the administrative costs of providing the information or communication or taking the action requested, or refuse to act on the request and notify the consumer of the reason for refusing the request. The business shall bear the burden of demonstrating that any verifiable consumer request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
(j) This title shall not be construed to require a business, service provider, or contractor to: (l) reidentify or otherwise link information that, in the ordinary course of business, is not maintained in a manner that would be considered personal information; (2) retain any personal information about a consumer if, in the ordinary course of business, that information about the consumer would not be retained; or (3) maintain information in identifiable, linkable or associable form, or collect, obtain, retain, or access any data or technology, in order to be capable of linking or associating a verifiable consumer request with personal information.
(k) The rights afforded to consumers and the obligations imposed on the business in this title shall not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of other natural persons. A verifiable consumer request for specific pieces of personal information pursuant to Section 1798.110, to delete a consumer's personal information pursuant to Section 1798.105, or to correct inaccurate personal information pursuant to Section 1798,106, shall not extend to personal information about the consumer that belongs to, or the business maintains on behalf of another natural person. A business may rely on representations made in a verifiable consumer request as to rights with respect to personal information and is under no legal requirement to seek out other persons that may have or claim to have rights to personal information, and a business is under no legal obligation under this title or any other provision of law to take any action under this title in the event of a dispute between or among persons claiming rights to personal information in the business's possession.
(q) (1) This title does not require a business to comply with a verifiable consumer request to delete a consumer's personal information under Section 1798.105 to the extent the verifiable consumer request applies to a student's grades, educational scores, or educational test results that the business holds on behalf of a local educational agency, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 49073.1 of the Education Code, at which the student is currently enrolled. If a business does not comply with a request pursuant to this section, it shall notify the consumer that it is acting pursuant to this exception,
(2) This title does not require, in response too request pursuant to Section 1798.110, that a business disclose on educational standardized assessment or educational assessment or a consumer's specific responses to the educational standardized assessment or educational assessment where consumer access, possession or control would jeopardize the validity and reliability of that educational standardized assessment or educational assessment. If a business does not comply with a request pursuant to this section, it shall notify the consumer that it is acting pursuant to this exception.
(B) "Jeopardize the validity and reliability of that educational standardized assessment or educational assessment" means releasing information that would provide an advantage to the consumer who has submitted a verifiable consumer request or to another natural person.
(2) Compliance with the consumer's request to opt-out of the sale of the consumer's personal information or to delete the consumer's personal information would not be commercially reasonable; and
(3) The business complies with the consumer's request as soon as it is commercially reasonable to do so.