The Washington State Senate passed the Washington Privacy Act, with the bill now heading to the House of Representatives. The Senate approved the bill by a 48–1 vote. State Sen. Reuven Carlyle, D-Wash., one of the bill's sponsors, thanked his colleagues on Twitter for the vote and noted the legislation has influenced other state bills in Virginia, Minnesota and Utah. Meanwhile, Consumer Reports Policy Analyst Maureen Mahoney writes about how the Washington Privacy Act needs stronger safeguards in an op-ed for The Seattle Times.