Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act (“DTPPA”)
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-48.1-1, et seq.
Effective: January 1, 2026
SUMMARY:
The Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act (“DTPPA”), passed by the legislature on June 13, 2024, sets out new regulations for businesses handling personal data of state residents. It applies to for-profit entities that either control or process the personal data of at least 35,000 residents, or 10,000 residents if more than 20% of their revenue comes from data sales. The act focuses on consumer data, excluding employee or business data, and imposes requirements such as opt-in consent for processing sensitive data. It also mandates that businesses disclose their data practices, including which data is collected, who it is shared with, and provide contact information for consumers. However, it does not require universal opt-out mechanisms or data minimization. Enforcement will be carried out by the Rhode Island Attorney General, and violations will be penalized under the state's deceptive trade practice laws. The law will take effect on January 1, 2026.
CITATION:
Title 6 - Commercial Law — General Regulatory Provisions
Chapter 48.1 - Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-1. Short title. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-2. Definitions. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-3. Information sharing practices. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-4. Processing of information. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-5. Customer rights. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-6. Exercising customer rights. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-7. Controller and processor responsibilities. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-8. Violations. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-9. Waivers — Severability. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-10. Construction. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
§ 6-48.1-1. Short title. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act”.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-2. Definitions. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Affiliate” means any entity that shares common branding with another legal entity directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another legal entity. For this purpose, “control” or “controlled” means ownership of, or the power to vote, more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of any class of voting security of a company; control in any manner over the election of a majority of the directors or of individuals exercising similar functions; or the power to exercise controlling influence over the management of a company.
(2) “Authenticate” means to use reasonable means to determine that a request to exercise any of the rights afforded under this chapter is being made by, or on behalf of, the customer who is entitled to exercise such customer rights with respect to the personal data at issue.
(3) “Biometric data” means data generated by automatic measurements of an individual’s biological characteristics, such as a fingerprint, a voiceprint, eye retinas, irises, or other unique biological patterns or characteristics that are used to identify a specific individual. “Biometric data” does not include a digital or physical photograph, an audio or video recording, or any data generated from a digital or physical photograph, or an audio or video recording, unless such data is generated to identify a specific individual.
(4) “Business associate” has the same meaning as provided in 45 C.F.R. § 160.103.
(5) “Child” has the same meaning as provided in 15 U.S.C. § 6501.
(6) “Consent” means a clear, affirmative act signifying a customer has freely given specific, informed, and unambiguous agreement to allow the processing of personal data relating to the customer. “Consent” may include a written statement, including by electronic means, or any other unambiguous affirmative action. “Consent” does not include acceptance of a general or broad term of use or similar document that contains descriptions of personal data processing along with other, unrelated information, hovering over, muting, pausing, or closing a given piece of content, or agreement obtained through the use of dark patterns.
(7) “Controller” means an individual who, or legal entity that, alone or jointly with others determines the purpose and means of processing personal data.
(8) “COPPA” means the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, 15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq., and the regulations, rules, guidance, and exemptions adopted, pursuant to said act, as said act and such regulations, rules, guidance, and exemptions may be amended from time to time.
(9) “Covered entity” has the same meaning as provided in 45 C.F.R. § 160.103.
(10) “Customer” means an individual residing in this state acting in an individual or household context. “Customer” does not include an individual acting in a commercial or employment context or as an employee, owner, director, officer, or contractor of a company, partnership, sole proprietorship, nonprofit, or government agency whose communications or transactions with the controller occur solely within the context of that individual’s role with the company, partnership, sole proprietorship, nonprofit, or government agency.
(11) “Dark pattern” means a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of subverting or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice, and includes, but is not limited to, any practice the Federal Trade Commission refers to as a “dark pattern”.
(12) “Decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning the customer” means decisions made by the controller that result in the provision or denial by the controller of: financial or lending services; housing; insurance; education enrollment or opportunity; criminal justice; employment opportunities; healthcare services; or access to essential goods or services.
(13) “De-identified data” means data that cannot reasonably be used to infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, an identified or identifiable individual, or a device linked to such individual.
(14) “HIPAA” means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq., as amended from time to time.
(15) “Identified or identifiable individual” means an individual who can be readily identified, directly or indirectly.
(16) “Institution of higher education” means any individual who, or school, board, association, limited liability company, or corporation that, is licensed or accredited to offer one or more programs of higher learning leading to one or more degrees.
(17) “Nonprofit organization” means any organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), or 501(c)(12) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding Internal Revenue Code of the United States, as amended from time to time.
(18) “Personal data” means any information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable individual and does not include de-identified data or publicly available information.
(19) “Precise geolocation data” means information derived from technology, including, but not limited to, global positioning system level latitude and longitude coordinates or other mechanisms, that directly identifies the specific location of an individual with precision and accuracy within a radius of one thousand seven hundred fifty feet (1,750′). “Precise geolocation data” does not include the content of communications or any data generated by or connected to advanced utility metering infrastructure systems or equipment for use by a utility.
(20) “Process” or “processing” means any operation or set of operations performed, whether by manual or automated means, on personal data or on sets of personal data, such as the collection, use, storage, disclosure, analysis, deletion, or modification of personal data. “Processor” means an individual who, or legal entity that, processes personal data on behalf of a controller.
(21) “Profiling” means any form of automated processing performed on personal data to evaluate, analyze, or predict personal aspects related to an identified or identifiable individual’s economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, behavior, location, or movements.
(22) “Protected health information” has the same meaning as provided in 42 U.S.C. § 1320d.
(23) “Pseudonymous data” means personal data that cannot be attributed to a specific individual without the use of additional information; provided such additional information is kept separately and is subject to appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that the personal data is not attributed to an identified or identifiable individual.
(24) “Publicly available information” means information that is lawfully made available through federal, state, or municipal government records or widely distributed media, or a controller has a reasonable basis to believe a customer has lawfully made available to the general public.
(25) “Sale of personal data” means the exchange of personal data for monetary or other valuable consideration by the controller to a third party. “Sale of personal data” does not include the disclosure of personal data to a processor that processes the personal data on behalf of the controller; the disclosure of personal data to a third party for purposes of providing a product or service requested by the customer; the disclosure or transfer of personal data to an affiliate of the controller; the disclosure of personal data where the customer directs the controller to disclose the personal data or intentionally uses the controller to interact with a third party, the disclosure of personal data that the customer:
(i) Intentionally made available to the general public via a channel of mass media; and
(ii) Did not restrict to a specific audience, or the disclosure or transfer of personal data to a third party as an asset that is part of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction, or a proposed merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction, in which the third party assumes control of all or part of the controller’s assets.
(26) “Sensitive data” means personal data that includes data revealing racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health condition or diagnosis, sex life, sexual orientation or citizenship or immigration status, the processing of genetic or biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, personal data collected from a known child, or precise geolocation data.
(27) “Targeted advertising” means displaying advertisements to a customer where the advertisement is selected based on personal data obtained or inferred from that customer’s activities over time and across nonaffiliated internet websites or online applications to predict such customer’s preferences or interests. “Targeted advertising” does not include advertisements based on activities within a controller’s own internet websites or online applications, advertisements based on the context of a customer’s current search query, or current visit to an internet website or online application, advertisements directed to a customer in response to the customer’s request for information or feedback, or processing personal data solely to measure or report advertising frequency, performance, or reach.
(28) “Third party” means an individual or legal entity, such as a public authority, agency, or body, other than the customer, controller, or processor, or an affiliate of the processor or of the controller.
(29) “Trade secret” has the same meaning as § 6-41-1.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-3. Information sharing practices. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) Any commercial website or internet service provider conducting business in Rhode Island or with customers in Rhode Island or otherwise subject to Rhode Island jurisdiction, shall designate a controller. If a commercial website or internet service provider collects, stores, and sells customers’ personally identifiable information, then the controller shall, in its customer agreement or incorporated addendum, or in another conspicuous location on its website or online service platform where similar notices are customarily posted:
(1) Identify all categories of personal data that the controller collects through the website or online service about customers;
(2) Identify all third parties to whom the controller has sold or may sell customers’ personally identifiable information; and
(3) Identify an active electronic mail address or other online mechanism that the customer may use to contact the controller.
(b) If a controller sells personal data to third parties or processes personal data for targeted advertising, the controller shall clearly and conspicuously disclose such processing.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize the collection, storage, or disclosure of information or data that is otherwise prohibited or restricted by state or federal law.
(d) This chapter does not apply to any body, authority, board, bureau, commission, district, or agency of this state, or any political subdivision of this state; nonprofit organization; institution of higher education; national securities association that is registered under 15 U.S.C. § 78o-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time; financial institution or data subject to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq.; or covered entity or business associate, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 160.103.
(e) The following information and data are exempt from the provisions of this chapter:
(1) Protected health information under HIPAA;
(2) Patient-identifying information for purposes of 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2;
(3) Identifiable private information for purposes of the federal policy for the protection of human research subjects under 45 C.F.R. §§ 46.101 through 46.124;
(4) Identifiable private information that is otherwise information collected as part of human subjects research pursuant to the good clinical practice guidelines issued by the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use;
(5) The protection of human subjects under 21 C.F.R. Parts 50 and 56, or personal data used or shared in research, as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 164.501 or other research conducted in accordance with applicable law;
(6) Information and documents created for purposes of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. § 11101 et seq.;
(7) Patient safety work product for purposes of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, 42 U.S.C. § 299b-21 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(8) Information derived from any of the healthcare-related information listed in this subsection that is de-identified in accordance with the requirements for de-identification pursuant to HIPAA;
(9) Information originating from and intermingled to be indistinguishable with, or information treated in the same manner as, information exempt under this subsection that is maintained by a covered entity or business associate, program, or qualified service organization, as specified in 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2, as amended from time to time;
(10) Information used for public health activities and purposes as authorized by HIPAA, community health activities, and population health activities;
(11) The collection, maintenance, disclosure, sale, communication, or use of any personal information bearing on a customer’s creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living by a customer reporting agency, furnisher, or user that provides information for use in a customer report, and by a user of a customer report, but only to the extent that such activity is regulated by and authorized under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(12) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994, 18 U.S.C. § 2721 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(13) Personal data regulated by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g et seq., as amended from time to time;
(14) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in compliance with the Farm Credit Act, 12 U.S.C. § 2001 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(15) Data processed or maintained in the course of an individual applying to, employed by, or acting as an agent or independent contractor of a controller, processor, or third party, to the extent that the data is collected and used within the context of that role, as the emergency contact information of an individual or that is necessary to retain to administer benefits for another individual relating to the individual who is the subject of the information under this subsection and used for the purposes of administering such benefits; and
(16) Personal data collected, processed, sold, or disclosed in relation to price, route, or service, as such terms are used in the Airline Deregulation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 40101 et seq., as amended from time to time, by an air carrier subject to said act, to the extent subsections (e)(1) to (e)(11), inclusive, of this section are preempted by the Airline Deregulation Act, 49 U.S.C. § 41713, as amended from time to time.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-4. Processing of information. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) This section shall apply to for-profit entities that conduct business in the state or for-profit entities that produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the state and that during the preceding calendar year did any of the following:
(1) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) customers, excluding personal data controlled or processed solely for the purpose of completing a payment transaction.
(2) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than ten thousand (10,000) customers and derived more than twenty percent (20%) of their gross revenue from the sale of personal data.
(b) The controller shall establish, implement, and maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical data security practices to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of personal data.
(c) The controller shall not process sensitive data concerning a customer without obtaining customer consent and shall not process sensitive data of a known child unless consent is obtained and the information is processed in accordance with COPPA. Controllers and processors that comply with the verifiable parental consent requirements of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq.) shall be deemed compliant with any obligation to obtain parental consent under this chapter.
(d) The controller shall not process personal data in violation of the laws of this state and federal laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination against customers.
(e) The controller shall provide customers with a mechanism to grant and revoke consent where consent is required. Upon receipt of revocation, the controller shall suspend the processing of data as soon as is practicable. The controller shall have no longer than fifteen (15) days from receipt to effectuate the revocation.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-5. Customer rights. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) This section shall apply to for-profit entities that conduct business in the state or for-profit entities that produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the state and that during the preceding calendar year did any of the following:
(1) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) customers, excluding personal data controlled or processed solely for the purpose of completing a payment transaction.
(2) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than ten thousand (10,000) customers and derived more than twenty percent (20%) of their gross revenue from the sale of personal data.
(b) No controller shall discriminate against a customer for exercising their customer rights.
(c) No controller shall deny goods or services, charge different prices or rates for goods or services, or provide a different level of quality of goods or services to the customer if the customer opts out to use of their data. However, if a customer opts out of data collection, the covered entity is not required to provide a service that requires this data collection.
(d) Controllers may provide different prices and levels for goods and services if it is for a bona fide loyalty, rewards, premium features, discount, or club card programs in which customers voluntarily participate.
(e) A customer shall have the right to:
(1) Confirm whether or not a controller is processing the customer’s personal data and access such personal data, unless such confirmation or access would require the controller to reveal a trade secret;
(2) Correct inaccuracies in the customer’s personal data and delete personal data provided by, or obtained about, the customer, taking into account the nature of the personal data and the purposes of the processing of the customer’s personal data;
(3) Obtain a copy of the customer’s personal data processed by the controller, in a portable and, to the extent technically feasible, readily usable format that allows the customer to transmit the data to another controller without undue delay, where the processing is carried out by automated means; provided such controller shall not be required to reveal any trade secret; and
(4) Opt out of the processing of the personal data for purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning the customer.
(f) A customer may exercise rights under this section by secure and reliable means established by the controller and described to the customer in the controller’s privacy notice. A customer may designate an authorized agent to exercise the rights to opt out on their behalf. In the case of processing personal data of a known child, the parent or legal guardian may exercise such customer rights on the child’s behalf. In the case of processing personal data concerning a customer subject to a guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective arrangement, the guardian or the conservator of the customer may exercise such rights on the customer’s behalf.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-6. Exercising customer rights. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) This section shall apply to for-profit entities that conduct business in the state or for-profit entities that produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the state and that during the preceding calendar year did any of the following:
(1) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) customers, excluding personal data controlled or processed solely for the purpose of completing a payment transaction.
(2) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than ten thousand (10,000) customers and derived more than twenty percent (20%) of their gross revenue from the sale of personal data.
(b) A controller shall comply with a request by a customer to exercise the customer rights authorized as follows:
(1) A controller shall respond to the customer without undue delay, but not later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the request. The controller may extend the response period by forty-five (45) additional days when reasonably necessary, considering the complexity and number of the customer’s requests; provided the controller informs the customer of any such extension within the initial forty-five (45) day response period and of the reason for the extension.
(2) If a controller declines to act regarding the customer’s request, the controller shall inform the customer without undue delay, but not later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the request, of the justification for declining to act and instructions for how to appeal the decision.
(3) Information provided in response to a customer request shall be provided by a controller, free of charge, once per customer during any twelve-month (12) period. If requests from a customer are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, the controller may charge the customer a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of complying with the request or decline to act on the request. The controller bears the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive nature of the request.
(4) If a controller is unable to authenticate a request to exercise any of the rights afforded, the controller shall not be required to comply with a request to initiate an action pursuant to this section and shall provide notice to the customer that the controller is unable to authenticate the request to exercise such right or rights until such customer provides additional information reasonably necessary to authenticate such customer and such customer’s request to exercise such right or rights. A controller shall not be required to authenticate an opt-out request, but may deny an opt-out request if the controller has reasonable and documented belief that such request is fraudulent. If a controller denies an opt-out request because the controller believes such request is fraudulent, the controller shall send a notice to the person who made such request disclosing that such controller believes such request is fraudulent, why such controller believes such request is fraudulent, and that such controller shall not comply with such request.
(5) A controller that has obtained personal data about a customer from a source other than the customer shall be deemed in compliance with a customer’s request to delete such data by doing the following:
(i) Retaining a record of the deletion request and the minimum data necessary for the purpose of ensuring the customer’s personal data remains deleted from the controller’s records and not using such retained data for any other purpose pursuant to the provisions of this chapter; or
(ii) Opting the customer out of the processing of such personal data for any purpose except for those exempted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(6) A controller shall establish a process for a customer to appeal the controller’s refusal to take action on a request within a reasonable period of time after the customer’s receipt of the decision. The appeal process shall be clearly and conspicuously available. Not later than sixty (60) days after receipt of an appeal, a controller shall inform the customer in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decision. If the appeal is denied, the customer may submit a complaint to the attorney general.
(7) A customer may designate another person to serve as the customer’s authorized agent and act on such customer’s behalf, to opt out of the processing of such customer’s personal data. A controller shall comply with an opt-out request received from an authorized agent if the controller is able to verify the identity of the customer and the authorized agent’s authority to act on the customer’s behalf.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-7. Controller and processor responsibilities. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) This section shall apply to for-profit entities that conduct business in the state or for-profit entities that produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the state and that during the preceding calendar year did any of the following:
(1) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) customers, excluding personal data controlled or processed solely for the purpose of completing a payment transaction.
(2) Controlled or processed the personal data of not less than ten thousand (10,000) customers and derived more than twenty percent (20%) of their gross revenue from the sale of personal data.
(b) A processor shall adhere to the instructions of a controller and shall assist the controller in meeting the controller’s obligations of this chapter.
(c) A contract between a controller and a processor shall govern the processor’s data processing procedures with respect to processing performed on behalf of the controller. The contract shall be binding and clearly set forth instructions for processing data; the nature and purpose of processing; the type of data subject to processing; the duration of processing; and the rights and obligations of both parties. The contract shall also require that the processor:
(1) Ensure that each person processing personal data is subject to a duty of confidentiality with respect to the data;
(2) At the controller’s direction, delete or return all personal data to the controller as requested at the end of the provision of services, unless retention of the personal data is required by law;
(3) Upon the reasonable request of the controller, make available to the controller all information in its possession necessary to demonstrate the processor’s compliance with the obligations of this chapter;
(4) After providing the controller an opportunity to object, engage any subcontractor pursuant to a written contract that requires the subcontractor to meet the obligations of the processor with respect to the personal data; and
(5) Allow, and cooperate with, reasonable assessments by the controller or the controller’s designated assessor, or the processor may arrange for a qualified and independent assessor to assess the processor’s policies and technical and organizational measures in support of the obligations of this chapter, using an appropriate and accepted control standard of framework and assessment procedure for such assessments. The processor shall provide a report of such assessment to the controller upon request.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to relieve a controller or processor from the liabilities imposed on the controller or processor by virtue of such controller’s or processor’s role in the processing relationship. If a processor begins, alone or jointly with others, determining the purposes and means of the processing of personal data, the processor is a controller with respect to such processing and may be subject to an enforcement action under § 6-48.1-8.
(e) A controller shall conduct and document a data protection assessment for each of the controller’s processing activities that presents a heightened risk of harm to a customer. For the purposes of this section, processing that presents a heightened risk of harm to a customer includes:
(1) The processing of personal data for the purposes of targeted advertising;
(2) The sale of personal data;
(3) The processing of personal data for the purposes of profiling, where such profiling presents a reasonably foreseeable risk of unfair or deceptive treatment of, or unlawful disparate impact on, customers, financial, physical or reputational injury to customers, a physical or other intrusion upon the solitude or seclusion, or the private affairs or concerns, of customers, where such intrusion would be offensive to a reasonable person, or other substantial injury to customers; and
(4) The processing of sensitive data.
(f) The attorney general may require a controller to disclose any data protection assessment that is relevant to an investigation conducted by the attorney general, and the controller shall make the data protection assessment available. The attorney general may evaluate the data protection assessment for compliance with responsibilities of this chapter. Data protection assessments shall be confidential and shall be exempt from disclosure pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38 (“access to public records”). To the extent any information contained in a data protection assessment disclosed to the attorney general includes information subject to attorney-client privilege or work product protection, such disclosure shall not constitute a waiver of such privilege or protection.
(g) A single data protection assessment may address a comparable set of processing operations that include similar activities.
(h) If a controller conducts a data protection assessment for the purpose of complying with another applicable law or regulation, the data protection assessment shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements established in this section if such data protection assessment is reasonably similar in scope and effect to the data protection assessment that would otherwise be conducted pursuant to this section.
(i) Data protection assessment requirements shall apply to processing activities created or generated after January 1, 2026, and are not retroactive.
(j) Any controller in possession of de-identified data shall:
(1) Take reasonable measures to ensure that the data cannot be associated with an individual;
(2) Publicly commit to maintaining and using de-identified data without attempting to re-identify the data; and
(3) Contractually obligate any recipients of the de-identified data to comply with all provisions of this chapter.
(k) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to:
(1) Require a controller or processor to re-identify de-identified data or pseudonymous data; or
(2) Maintain data in identifiable form, or collect, obtain, retain, or access any data or technology, in order to be capable of associating an authenticated customer request with personal data.
(l) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller or processor to comply with an authenticated customer rights request if the controller:
(1) Is not reasonably capable of associating the request with the personal data or it would be unreasonably burdensome for the controller to associate the request with the personal data;
(2) Does not use the personal data to recognize or respond to the specific customer who is the subject of the personal data, or associate the personal data with the other personal data about the same specific customer; and
(3) Does not sell the personal data to any third party or otherwise voluntarily disclose the personal data to any third party other than a processor, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
(m) The rights afforded under this section, and inclusive of § 6-48.1-5(f), shall not apply to pseudonymous data in cases where the controller is able to demonstrate that any information necessary to identify the customer is kept separately and is subject to effective technical and organizational controls that prevent the controller from accessing such information.
(n) A controller who or that discloses pseudonymous data or de-identified data shall exercise reasonable oversight to monitor compliance with any contractual commitments to which the pseudonymous data or de-identified data is subject and shall take appropriate steps to address any breaches of those contractual commitments.
(o) This chapter shall not be construed to restrict a controller’s or processor’s ability to:
(1) Comply with federal, state, or municipal ordinances or regulations;
(2) Comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry, investigation, subpoena, or summons by federal, state, municipal, or other governmental authorities;
(3) Cooperate with law enforcement agencies concerning conduct or activity that the controller or processor reasonably and in good faith believes may violate federal, state, or municipal ordinances or regulations;
(4) Investigate, establish, exercise, prepare for, or defend legal claims;
(5) Provide a product or service specifically requested by a customer;
(6) Perform under a contract to which a customer is a party, including fulfilling the terms of a written warranty;
(7) Take steps at the request of a customer prior to entering into a contract;
(8) Take immediate steps to protect an interest that is essential for the life or physical safety of the customer or another individual, and where the processing cannot be manifestly based on another legal basis;
(9) Prevent, detect, protect against, or respond to security incidents, identity theft, fraud, harassment, malicious or deceptive activities or any illegal activity, preserve the integrity or security of systems or investigate, report, or prosecute those responsible for any such action;
(10) Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws and is approved, monitored, and governed by an institutional review board that determines, or similar independent oversight entities that determine, whether the deletion of the information is likely to provide substantial benefits that do not exclusively accrue to the controller, the expected benefits of the research outweigh the privacy risks, and whether the controller has implemented reasonable safeguards to mitigate privacy risks associated with research, including any risks associated with re-identification;
(11) Assist another controller, processor, or third party with any of the obligations of this chapter; or
(12) Process personal data for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, community health, or population health, but solely to the extent that such processing is:
(i) Subject to suitable and specific measures to safeguard the rights of the customer whose personal data is being processed, and
(ii) Under the responsibility of a professional subject to confidentiality obligations under federal, state, or local law.
(p) The obligations imposed on controllers or processors shall not restrict a controller’s or processor’s ability to collect, use, or retain data for internal use to:
(1) Conduct internal research to develop, improve, or repair products, services, or technology;
(2) Effectuate a product recall;
(3) Identify and repair technical errors that impair existing or intended functionality; or
(4) Perform internal operations that are reasonably aligned with the expectations of the customer or reasonably anticipated based on the customer’s existing relationship with the controller, or are otherwise compatible with processing data in furtherance of the provision of a product or service specifically requested by a customer or the performance of a contract to which the customer is a party.
(q) A controller or processor who or that discloses personal data to a processor or third-party controller shall not be deemed to have violated this chapter if the processor or third-party controller who or that receives and processes such personal data violates said sections; provided at the time the disclosing controller or processor disclosed such personal data, the disclosing controller or processor did not have actual knowledge that the receiving processor or third-party controller would violate said sections. A third-party controller or processor receiving personal data from a controller or processor in compliance with this chapter is likewise not in violation of said sections for the transgressions of the controller or processor from which such third-party controller or processor receives such personal data.
(r) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to:
(1) Impose any obligation on a controller or processor that adversely affects the rights or freedoms of any person, including, but not limited to, the rights of any person to freedom of speech or freedom of the press guaranteed in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; or
(2) Apply to any person’s processing of personal data in the course of such person’s purely personal or household activities.
(s) Personal data processed by a controller pursuant to this section may be processed to the extent that such processing is reasonably necessary in relation to the purposes for which such data is processed, as disclosed to the consumer and proportionate to the purposes in this section; and adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to the specific purposes listed in this section. Personal data collected, used, or retained shall, where applicable, consider the nature and purpose or purposes of such collection, use, or retention. Such data shall be subject to reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of the personal data and to reduce reasonably foreseeable risks of harm to customers relating to such collection, use, or retention of personal data.
(t) If a controller processes personal data pursuant to an exemption in this section, the controller bears the burden of demonstrating that such processing qualifies for the exemption.
(u) Processing personal data for the purposes expressly identified in this section shall not solely make a legal entity a controller with respect to such processing.
(v) If a customer opts out of data collection, the covered entity is not required to provide a service that requires this data collection.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-8. Violations. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) A violation of this chapter constitutes a violation of the general regulatory provisions of commercial law in this title and shall constitute a deceptive trade practice in violation of chapter 13.1 of this title; provided, further, that in the event that any individual or entity intentionally discloses personal data:
(1) To a shell company or any entity that has been formed or established solely, or in part, for the purposes of circumventing the intent of this chapter; or
(2) In violation of any provision of this chapter, that individual or entity shall pay a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) and no more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each such disclosure.
(b) The attorney general shall have sole enforcement authority of the provisions of this chapter and may enforce a violation of this chapter pursuant to:
(1) The provisions of this section; or
(2) General regulatory provisions of commercial law in this title, or both.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any private right of action to enforce any provision of this chapter, any regulation hereunder, or any other provisions of law.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-9. Waivers — Severability. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
Any waiver of the provisions of this chapter shall be void and unenforceable. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions of applications of the chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of the chapter are severable.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
§ 6-48.1-10. Construction. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to apply in any manner to a financial institution, an affiliate of a financial institution, or data subject to Title V of the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq., and its implementing regulations, or to information or data subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Pub. L. No. 104-191.
(b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to a contractor, subcontractor, or agent of a state agency or local unit of government when working for that state agency or local unit of government.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to any entity recognized as a tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code.
(d) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to mandate and/or require the retention or disclosure of any specific individual’s personally identifiable information.
(e) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit or restrict the dissemination or sale of product sales summaries or statistical information or aggregate customer data that may include personally identifiable information.
(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to any personally identifiable information or any other information collected, used, processed, or disclosed by or for a customer reporting agency as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 1681a(f). Provided, further, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require any entity to collect, store, or sell personally identifiable information, and furthermore, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a controller to provide a good or service that requires the personal data of a customer that the controller does not collect or maintain. This chapter is intended to apply only to covered entities that choose to collect, store, and sell or otherwise transfer or disclose personally identifiable information. The obligations imposed on controllers or processors under this chapter shall not apply where compliance by the controller or processor with this chapter would violate an evidentiary privilege under the law of this state. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent a controller or processor from providing personal data concerning a customer to a person covered by an evidentiary privilege under the laws of this state as part of a privileged communication.
History of Section.
P.L. 2024, ch. 430, § 2, effective January 1, 2026; P.L. 2024, ch. 453, § 2, effective January 1, 2026.
For more information, see here: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov//Statutes/TITLE6/6-48.1/INDEX.htm
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