The Massachusetts House passed a Consumer Data Privacy Act in a 146-0 unanimous vote on Thursday. The bill bans companies from selling precise location data without explicit consent.
The law applies to any company handling data on more than 100,000 consumers. It also shields biometric data, health information, genetic details, and sensitive markers like religion and sexual orientation from being sold without permission.
Data brokers have long purchased location data from app developers and resold it to governments, militaries, and other buyers. The Biden administration proposed a federal ban on this practice, but the Trump administration scrapped it. Massachusetts has now enacted the prohibition at the state level.
Lawmakers worked across party lines, treating privacy as a fundamental right. By applying the ban to both residents and visitors, Massachusetts effectively prevents location data sales affecting anyone in the state.
The House and Senate bills are being combined and sent to the governor's office, where they are expected to be signed into law. Massachusetts will join other U.S. states with strict consumer privacy protections.
