Technology (Privacy)

This bill requires that residential addresses of elected officials and candidates be provided only through a written request, rather than being automatically available to the public. It directly affects government agencies and individuals who currently access public records containing personal addresses. The key mechanism is adding a new subdivision to Minnesota Statutes 13.601 that mandates written requests for address information, even when such data is classified as public. This change applies to any address already designated as public data under existing state laws. The legislation aims to add an additional layer of privacy protection without altering the public status of the addresses.

This bill prohibits businesses in Minnesota from using automated systems to charge different prices or pay different wages to individuals based on surveillance data about their personal behaviors, biometrics, or other private information. It defines surveillance data to include details like browsing history, purchase records, and biological identifiers, while allowing price differences only when justified by actual service costs or standard group discounts like military or senior rates. The law also permits insurers to use risk-related data for pricing insurance policies, but restricts other entities from tailoring costs or compensation based on observed or inferred personal characteristics. Companies would need to demonstrate that any price or wage variations are based on legitimate business reasons rather than private surveillance of individuals or groups.

HF 3408 bans retailers from setting personalized prices for goods based on consumer surveillance data like facial recognition, biometric scans, or location tracking. It directly affects stores selling physical items (including retail food stores) by prohibiting the use of electronic surveillance technology to create customized pricing for individual shoppers. The bill defines prohibited data broadly to include biometric information, browsing history, and other personal details collected through surveillance methods. Retailers must now use standard pricing approaches instead of surveillance-based price setting.

SF 3872 adds new protections for research data collected by Minnesota's Department of Public Safety. It explicitly prohibits using this data for non-research purposes and requires it to be handled like other confidential information (e.g., medical or Social Security data). This affects how the department shares data with researchers studying traffic safety, domestic abuse programs, or other public safety topics. The bill clarifies that research data must be kept confidential, aligning with federal definitions of "research" for surveys, focus groups, and program evaluation.

HF 3794 prohibits businesses from using automated systems to set individualized prices or wages based on surveillance data about consumers or workers. It directly affects companies that collect and analyze personal data like browsing history, location, biometrics, or purchase habits to adjust pricing or pay. The bill defines key terms (e.g., "surveillance data" includes inferred behaviors and biometrics) and allows exceptions for cost-based pricing, publicly available group discounts (like for veterans or seniors), and insurance risk assessments. It creates new legal standards to prevent discrimination tied to personal data collection, without banning all personalized pricing.

SF 3834 expands Minnesota's data privacy protections to include current and former state legislators, who were previously excluded. The bill defines "covered officials" to explicitly include legislators and protects specific personal information like residential addresses, phone numbers, children's names, and school details from public posting. It requires businesses or government entities to remove such protected information within 30 days upon a written request from a covered official, with legal remedies available for noncompliance. Additionally, the bill creates a legislative task force to study broader privacy protections for all Minnesota government officials, including potential improvements to current laws.