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In this week’s Privacy Tracker roundup, read about the passage of the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act and a French law creating a legal basis for class actions against controllers and processors for data protection violations; the potential in Germany for a law that diminishes the power of data protection authorities; and the European Parliament has approved the EU-U.S. Umbrella Agreement. Australia’s Parliament has closed out another year with no data breach notification law, much to the dismay of the Labor party. In the U.S., California has a new attorney general, the 21st Century Cures Act made it through the House, Rule 41 is a go and the Consumer Review Fairness Act awaits President Barack Obama’s signature.
LATEST NEWS
ZDNet reports that, once again, the Australian parliamentary session has ended without a breach notification law.
Canada’s Genetic Non-Discrimination Act is headed back to the Senate due to the passing of an accompanying clause aimed at protecting the intent of the bill, reports The Hill Times.
The U.S. House passed the 21st Century Cures Act last week, reports Kaiser Health News. The Senate is expected to vote on it this week.
This Sun-Gazette report offers an overview of the changes that Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know Law has undergone.
ICYMI
In this post for Privacy Perspectives, Hogan Lovells consultant Quentin Archer asks "whether a Trump presidency poses any significant risks to the security" of millions of Europeans' data stored by U.S. corporations. Archer shares his thoughts on what this change will mean and what might be in store for the future of global data flows.
US
Senators failed to block government hacking Rule 41 of Federal Criminal Procedure on Wednesday, the Morning Consult reports.
A revamped version of the 21st Century Cures bill does not include a contested provision calling for changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, GovInfoSecurity reports.
Ars Technica reports Congress has passed the Consumer Review Fairness Act, making it illegal for companies to retaliate against customers who post negative online reviews. The bill awaits a signature from President Barack Obama to become law.
The Federal Trade Commission has approved a final stipulated order against Jason Kotzker and associates after they sold the personal data of those who thought they were applying for payday loans to companies who scammed them out of an estimated combined $7.1 million, the agency reports.
Los Angeles Times reports California Gov. Jerry Brown has picked state House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, as the next attorney general of California. The position was previously held by newly elected Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.
CANADA
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a ruling in a case between Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Jill Clayton and the University of Calgary, the Calgary Herald reports. Clayton was challenging the ruling made by an Alberta Court of Appeal stating her office did not have the legal authority to force the University of Calgary to turn over documents they claim fall under solicitor-client privilege.
EUROPE
A wide majority of MEPs voted to support the EU-U.S. Umbrella Agreement, European Parliament News reports.
The French government passed legislation creating a legal basis for class-action lawsuits for data protection violations, Hunton & Williams reports.
The U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act 2016 is now officially law, the Guardian reports.
The German interior ministry is planning a new “data protection prevention law” that some fear is designed to reduce the power of the country’s data protection authorities, Deutsche Welle reports.
A Swiss court upheld legislation requiring telecommunications companies to store citizens’ metadata for six months after dismissing an appeal challenging the law, Telecompaper reports.
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office announced it will form a parliamentary and government affairs team to handle upcoming data protection challenges, including the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation, Government Computing reports.