Mills not happy with carveout in data privacy bill
Mills not happy with carveout in data privacy bill
Publish Date: 2026-03-11 11:03:00
Source Domain: spectrumlocalnews.com
AUGUSTA — As lawmakers continue to debate a bill aimed at better protecting consumer data, Gov. Janet Mills said she does not support a key carveout approved last week by Senate Democrats.
On Thursday, the Democrats approved an exemption from the regulations for political parties, citing potential First Amendment issues.
But on Tuesday, Mills told reporters that she “wasn’t excited” about the exemption.
“If the fix is good enough for the political parties, then the fix ought to be good enough for all the businesses affected as well,” she said.
Mills said she did not know if she would veto the bill if it contained the political party exemption but said she’d like to see a compromise.
“I’d like to see them come to the middle,” she said.
Gov. Janet Mills takes questions from reporters on the Blaine House lawn on Tuesday. (Spectrum News/Susan Cover)
The bill, LD 1822, seeks to limit data collected on the internet to better protect consumer privacy, said Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cape Elizabeth), the bill’s co-sponsor.
“At their most dangerous, the large amounts of data collected in every click and swipe leaves us vulnerable to identity theft, financial exploitation, civil rights violations and unlawful discrimination,” she said during the Senate debate on Thursday.
For more than three years, state lawmakers have grappled with how to best protect personal information while still allowing companies that use data in their marketing to target customers.
Sen. David Haggan (R-Hampden) read a long list of businesses opposed to the legislation during the Senate debate, including LL Bean, Portland Sea Dogs, Hollywood Casino and the Maine Auto Dealers Association.
“I can’t remember the last time when all of our business community banded together to oppose a bill they say will make Maine an island and our commerce environment a pariah,” he said.
Last week, the Senate Democrats passed the bill 20-14. When it came time to approve…
