Massachusetts House Passes Representative Lipper-Garabedian’s Location Shield Act as Part of Comprehensive Data Privacy Legislation
The Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act provides consumers with greater control over their own data
BOSTON – Thursday, June 4, 2026 – The Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed comprehensive legislation establishing essential consumer data privacy rights, incorporating fully legislation filed and championed by State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose) to establish a blanket ban on the sale of precise, personal geolocation data. In the previous legislative session, the House unanimously passed a narrower version of Representative Lipper-Garabedian’s Location Shield Act. This session, she invited State Representative David Vieria (R-Falmouth) to co-file the bill, underscoring the bipartisan nature of data privacy. The Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act provides consumers with greater control over their own data. The bill increases accountability for companies; grants user data privacy protections to residents of and those present in Massachusetts; and includes strong privacy protections for minors.
“This legislation protects the autonomy, privacy, and security of people in our Commonwealth and is a win for all those who come here seeking care, safety, and freedom,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “That includes those who travel here seeking reproductive care, gender-affirming care, and the freedoms that our Commonwealth upholds. At a time when 13 states have full bans on abortion care and more than 1 in 3 women of reproductive age lives in a state that has enacted an abortion ban at six weeks of pregnancy or less, with the protections of the Location Shield Act in place, Massachusetts will remain a place of refuge.
“The comprehensive Location Shield Act also holds particular importance for those from marginalized communities - religious minorities, immigrants, domestic violence survivors, people in recovery, and judges and public safety officers who risk their lives to protect us. And it matters for everyone. Every day, each of us produces a digital footprint that currently can be purchased by anyone for the right price. With this legislation, we prevent corporate entities from collecting and weaponizing our personal information in ways that undermine our fundamental freedoms. This legislation ensures that our commitment to personal autonomy is not just a promise but a protection with real meaning. I am proud to have championed the Location Shield Act and to have delivered this protection for our residents. We each deserve to be the author of our own story, and I will continue to make sure our laws reflect that.”
“The Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act centers the consumer and is a must for the 21st century. Through the technology that we have come to rely on daily, companies collect and legally sell our data, including sensitive data, without our knowledge or consent,” said Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. “The Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act is a critical step to hold companies accountable, protect minors, and establish strong consumer protections. It is the result of public hearings and thoughtful deliberation with privacy experts, advocates, and industry representatives.”
Limit Collection to What is Reasonably Necessary
The bill requires that personal data collection must be proportionate to providing requested services, and data must be protected and deleted when no longer necessary or required by law.
Data Subject Rights
Under the bill, data subject rights extend to all residents in Massachusetts. These rights include the right to access their personal information, the right to correct inaccurate information, the right to opt out of certain processes such as targeted advertising, the right to transport personal data, and the right to delete certain information.
Protections for Sensitive Data
The bill specifies that sensitive data, as defined below, cannot be sold or shared without a user’s affirmative consent. Companies cannot sell sensitive data without additional unambiguous, affirmative consent from a consumer.
Sensitive data includes information such as biometric or genetic information, precise geolocation data, health and wellness information, reproductive and sexual health data, data of a minor under 18, government-issued identifiers, and data that reveals an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, national origin or citizenship or immigration status, religious beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, status as transgender or non-binary, union membership, status as a military service member or veteran, and status as a victim of a crime.
Protection for Children and Minors under 18
The bill provides special protections for individuals under 18, including a prohibition on targeted advertising to minors.
Ban on the Sale of Precise Geolocation Data
The bill includes a ban on the sale of precise geolocation data. Restricting the trade of location data helps protect people from surveillance, stalking, and the misuse of sensitive personal information. This protection is extended to both residents of Massachusetts and visitors, which is especially important now to protect people who travel to and within Massachusetts, including for reproductive and gender affirming health care.
Enforcement
The bill grants the Attorney General rulemaking authority and includes a private right of action. A private right of action allows consumers to hold the largest data holders accountable for any violations they may make. Rulemaking authority will allow the Attorney General to keep up with the pace of technological change and provide greater clarity in areas where it is needed.
The bill passed the House of Representatives 146-0 and now goes back to the Senate for further consideration.
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