In this week’s Privacy Tracker legislative roundup, read about the latest in EU data protection initiatives, plus what the GDPR means for research organizations and what’s happening with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield. Also in this week’s roundup, the acting information commissioner in the Caymans has said he doesn’t think the planned privacy regime in that country will allow for an EU adequacy status; Uganda’s minister for finance has tabled a data protection bill; and Singapore will see a cybersecurity bill in 2017. In the U.S., a vote on the Email Privacy Act is expected, the Senate passed a bill that would mean Federal Aviation Administration drone regulations would pre-empt state laws, and updates on the Kelsey Smith Act and the DIGIT Act.

Latest News

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has scheduled a vote in the coming week on a bill to update the Email Privacy Act that would require law enforcement to get a warrant to access individuals’ electronic communications, The Hill reports.

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that solidifies the Federal Aviation Administration’s role as regulator of drones, eliminating states abilities to create drone laws, reports Newsday—the bill must be reconciled with a House measure that doesn’t pre-empt states.

The Kelsey Smith Act, which aims to allow police to access cell phone location data in certain emergency situations, passed the House Energy and Commerce Committeewithstanding an attempt to revert it to a previous version with higher standard for access, reports The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Politico’s Morning Tech reports that the Senate Commerce Committee plans to markup the DIGIT Act — which aims to create an internet of things working group — when it meets next week to vote on Federal Communications Commission reauthorization legislation.

A bill amending Michigan’s Preservation of Personal Privacy Act is awaiting the governor’s signature, Ari Scharg writes for MLive about the detrimental effect that would have on privacy in the state.

ICYMI

Now that the General Data Protection Regulation has passed, the EU needs to refresh the ePrivacy Directive, reported panelists at the IAPP Europe Data Protection Intensive in London, Sam Pfeifle has the details in this exclusive for The Privacy Advisor.

A federal appeals court ruled last week that insurance company Travelers must defend Portal Healthcare Solutions in a breach case, Scott Godes of Barnes & Thornburg writes for The Privacy Advisor that the ruling is “great news for policyholders.”

U.S.

In an opinion piece for Quartz, Jean-Louis Gassée discusses the anti-encryption bill introduced by Richard Burr, R-N.C, writing that it’s “dangerously delusional.”

ASIA PACIFIC

Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull announced the government’s new $240 million Cyber Security Strategy last week including funding for 100 new specialist jobs, reports Computerworld.

EUROPE

Daily Mail reports, Lord Neuberger president of the U.K. Supreme Court, said believes gains in technology have made it impossible to properly enforce privacy laws, and developments in IT have greatly increased the tensions between personal privacy and freedom of expression.