AB 1542 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Sensitive personal information.

Summary
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) grants a consumer various rights with respect to personal information, as defined, that is collected or sold by a business, as defined, including the right to direct a business that collects sensitive personal information, as defined, about the consumer to limit its use, as prescribed. The California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, approved by the voters as Proposition 24 at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election, amended, added to, and reenacted the CCPA. This bill would, under the CCPA, prohibit a business, service provider, or contractor from selling or sharing sensitive personal information to a third party, except as specified. This bill would declare that its provisions further the purposes and intent of the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Aug 2026
Assembly Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Aug 2026
Governor
Introduced Jan 5, 2026 Last action Aug 30, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

01/05/26 - Introduced 06/25/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Jun 25, 2026
MODERATE
The Senate amendment to AB 1542 makes three substantive changes: it removes the requirement for businesses to disclose whether sensitive personal information is 'sold or shared' (keeping only 'used'), it adds exceptions to the blanket prohibition on selling or sharing sensitive personal information by referencing specific carve-outs in Section 1798.140, and it corrects several drafting errors in the existing text. The most significant policy change is the narrowing of the prohibition on selling/sharing sensitive personal information, which now has specified exceptions rather than being absolute.
REQUIREMENT

Section 1798.100(a)(2): Removed the requirement that businesses disclose whether sensitive personal information is 'sold or shared.' The disclosure obligation now only requires stating the purposes for which sensitive personal information is collected or used, dropping the sold/shared disclosure specifically for sensitive personal information.

SCOPE

Section 1798.121(e): The prohibition on selling or sharing sensitive personal information to a third party is no longer absolute. It is now subject to exceptions found in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (ad) of Section 1798.140 and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (ah) of Section 1798.140, creating carve-outs that permit certain sales or sharing of sensitive personal information.

DEFINITION

Section 1798.121 title changed from 'Consumers' Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information' to the shorter 'Consumers' Sensitive Personal Information,' removing the explicit reference to the right to limit use and disclosure.

TECHNICAL

Section 1798.121(b): Corrected garbled drafting language ('shall be prohibited, not...from using or disclosing use or disclose') to a clear prohibition ('shall not...use or disclose').

Section 1798.121(c): Fixed conflicting language 'may shall not' to simply 'shall not,' resolving an apparent drafting error that created ambiguity about whether service providers and contractors are permitted or prohibited from using sensitive personal information beyond authorized purposes.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 28, 2026 · Assembly May 27, 2026

How they voted

314
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 40
Aug 28, 2026
D Democratic30
30 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican10
1 Yea 4 Nay 5
40% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
9
Committee
8
Amendments
5
Aug 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
lower
Aug 28, 2026
Introduced
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
lower
Aug 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 4.).
upper
Aug 21, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
upper
Aug 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).
upper
Aug 3, 2026
Committee
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
upper
Jun 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
upper
Jun 24, 2026
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (June 22).
upper
Jun 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Com. on P., D.T., & C.P.
upper
May 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 42. Noes 19.)
lower
May 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (May 14).
lower
May 6, 2026
Committee
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
lower
Apr 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 5.) (April 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Feb 2, 2026
Committee
Referred to Com. on P. & C.P.
lower
Jan 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee February 5.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Chris Ward
Chris Ward
DDemocratic
CA
78