United States of America: Entry into force with grace period of California Bill No. 825 expanding the definition of genetic data

The bill on personal information (AB 825) was signed into law on 5 October 2021 by California Governor Newsom. The bill expands the definition of personal information to include genetic data and outlines the elements and characteristics that have to be met for any data to be classified as genetic data. The law amends Sections 1798.29, 1798.81.5 and 1798.82 of the Civil Code to expand the data protections to genetic data. It requires businesses and government agencies that own or have licensed data to notify and disclose breaches of security and implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to protect data that classifies as personal information. The law will come into effect on 1 January 2022.