Assistant Attorney General Todd Dayla backs S.71 data-privacy bill, flags enforcement and funding concerns

Assistant Attorney General Todd Dayla told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development on April 28 that the attorney general’s office supports S.71, a bill to strengthen data-privacy protections, while cautioning that enforcement may require additional resources.

"I think it's no surprise to this committee. We are in full support, increasing the data privacy and data protections," Dayla said, opening his testimony and describing the bill as "one of the forefronts of consumer protection law." He urged the committee to pursue consistent definitions and a meaningful data-minimization standard that could align with rules in other states to ease compliance for regulated entities.

Dayla illustrated privacy risks with two examples. He described a case in which a Vermonter seeking a high-interest home-equity loan began receiving competing calls…