Relating to: prohibiting the state from sharing data with the federal government that contains personally identifiable information if the data is not first masked or otherwise anonymized and authorizing a civil cause of action for negligent violations of that prohibition. (FE)

AB 378 requires all state agencies to mask or anonymize personally identifiable information (PII) before sharing it with the federal government, directly affecting state agencies handling sensitive data like health records or social services. The bill allows limited exceptions for sharing unmasked data when required by law, for legislative constituent services, or for court operations. It also creates a civil lawsuit option for individuals harmed by negligent violations, allowing recovery of actual damages, up to $1,000 in punitive damages, and attorney fees. The law aims to strengthen data privacy protections by limiting federal access to identifiable state records without explicit safeguards.