CIPL Fireside Chat with CPPA General Counsel Phil Laird
CIPL Fireside Chat with CPPA General Counsel Phil Laird
Publish Date: 2026-02-04 15:12:00
Source Domain: www.hunton.com
On January 27, 2026, the Centre for Information Policy Leadership (“CIPL”) hosted a fireside chat with California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) General Counsel Phil Laird in honor of Data Privacy Day. The CPPA (also known as CalPrivacy), established in 2020 by a California voter initiative, is the only state-level data privacy enforcement agency in the country and the largest team in the U.S. dedicated solely to privacy enforcement.
CIPL’s Mark Smith spoke with Laird about a wide range of topics, ranging from the CPPA’s structure and enforcement priorities to upcoming rulemaking activities. Key takeaways from the discussion follow:
- Data Broker Registry and Delete Act. On January 1, 2026, the California Delete Act went into effect and transferred California’s existing data broker registry administration to the CPPA (previously administered by the California Attorney General). Businesses that meets the definition of a data broker must register with the CPPA, which is required to maintain a publicly accessible data broker registry. The law also requires the CPPA to establish a one-stop shop for consumers to request that all data brokers delete their personal information. Pursuant to this mandate, the CPPA launched the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform mechanism. Laird emphasized that businesses should closely review the definition of data broker under applicable law to determine whether data broker registration requirements apply.
- Investigation and enforcement priorities. While Laird’s role as the CPPA’s General Counsel does not encompass enforcement and investigation activities, he offered general comments about the CPPA’s ‘s enforcement priorities. CPPA investigations can arise from many circumstances, including consumer complaints or the personal experiences of CPPA staff. Additionally, the CPPA has expanded its technical capacity and hired several technical staff to support the enforcement division, including through investigations…
