Broad privacy laws giving consumers control over their data go into effect in Kentucky, Indiana, and Rhode Island on Jan. 1, bringing the total number of states with comprehensive privacy laws to 19.
The new measures represent a steady increase of state privacy laws since California passed the first in the nation in 2018. While 2025 was the first year in which no new privacy laws were enacted, 2026 is shaping up as a busy year for privacy proponents. Sixteen state legislatures—including Massachusetts, Georgia, and Pennsylvania—introduced comprehensive privacy bills to be carried over for discussion in 2026.
While many of ...