Mercury News–

California lawmakers introduced legislation Friday that would strengthen consumers’ online data privacy and protection and head off a proposed November ballot measure to that effect that many in the technology industry had opposed.

The California Data Privacy Protection Act by state Senator Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, and Assemblymember Ed Chau, D-Monterey Park, would allow consumers to know what data companies collect on them, allow them to opt out and hold companies accountable for breaches.

“Privacy is a fundamental American value,” said Chau, who chairs the state’s Assembly Privacy Committee. “That California is able to lead the nation into an era of consumer-first protections is a boon to our democracy.”

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