Location privacy.

Assembly Member Ward's location privacy legislation would establish comprehensive restrictions on how businesses and government agencies collect and use Californians' geographic data. The bill prohibits entities from collecting location information unless necessary to provide requested services and bars state and local agencies from monetizing such data.

Under the measure, covered entities must prominently display notices wherever location data is gathered, detailing the collecting organization, contact information, and intended data usage. Companies must maintain detailed privacy policies specifying data collection purposes, retention schedules, and security protocols. The bill requires 20 days' notice and renewed consent before implementing policy changes affecting location data handling.

The California Privacy Protection Agency would enforce these provisions through administrative fines and cease-and-desist orders. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $25,000 per incident, with the Attorney General and local prosecutors authorized to pursue cases. The bill grants individuals denied their privacy rights the ability to seek actual damages, exemplary damages, and attorney fees through civil litigation within a three-year statute of limitations.

The legislation amends existing privacy laws to integrate location data protections while preserving exceptions for healthcare providers handling patient information under federal privacy rules. Local agencies would receive state reimbursement for costs associated with implementing the new requirements.