Committee approves government data‑privacy draft with carve‑outs for public records

A legislative select committee voted to advance a government data‑privacy bill that would, in general, prohibit state and local government entities from purchasing, selling, trading or transferring personal data without the natural person’s expressed consent — but would exempt records covered by the Public Records Act and several routine government uses. The draft also gives Wyoming residents the right to request copies of their personal data from government entities and requires agencies that collect personal data to adopt policies on collection, retention, access, and security. Why it matters: the draft aims to increase transparency and public trust in how government handles personally identifiable information (PII) while preserving standard public‑records access, court‑mandated disclosures and necessary operational data sharing (for example, between agencies, with vendors performing…