WEEKLY UPDATE: 05/15/25
A coalition of Connecticut healthcare providers, hospitals, small businesses, and not-for-profits urged legislators to reject the original language of SB 1356, An Act Concerning Data Privacy, Online Monitoring, Social Media And Data Brokers in a letter sent to members of the General Assembly detailing concerns related to the proposal.
The letter detailed how the bill’s elimination of entity-level exemptions would negatively impact healthcare providers (who already must comply with HIPAA) and not-for-profit organizations. Adding complexity and cost for those types of businesses will increase healthcare costs for everyone and weaken community resources.
After the letter was sent, the Senate amended the bill to address some of the concerns raised related to healthcare entities. Conversations are ongoing around the bill, which was amended and passed out of the Senate yesterday, to further modify the bill language and address additional concerns related to not-for-profit organizations.
SB 1356 seeks to revise existing data privacy laws, including language that significantly undermines language in the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), which comprehensively safeguards consumer data while providing critical exemptions for HIPAA entities and nonprofits (as well as other highly regulated industries).
Eliminating entity-level exemptions would have a negative impact on efforts to identify and address social influencers of health, support communities, and solve for myriad health disparities; and it would make assisting underserved communities harder.
“We strongly oppose adding regulatory burdens to community systems that help people in need at a time when many nonprofits and their community partners are struggling to keep their doors open while facing looming, widespread, and drastic cuts from the federal government that will impact care providers and community organizations,” the coalition wrote.
The coalition includes the following organizations:
- Connecticut Hospital Association
- Amity Chamber of Commerce
- Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce
- Connecticut Business & Industry Association
- Connecticut Retail Network
- Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce
- Greater New Haven Chamber
- Lumber Dealers Association of Connecticut
- Motor Transport Association of Connecticut
- National Federation of Independent Businesses
- Shoreline Chamber of Commerce
- Waterbury Regional Chamber
Click here to read CHA’s testimony in opposition to SB 1356.
Click here to read the coalition’s letter to lawmakers.
