Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed the Consumer Data Protection Act into law on Tuesday, capping off months of negotiating and some last-minute pushback from consumer groups.
The legislation will go into effect in 2023, and it creates a working group for stakeholders to give input about how the law is ultimately implemented. The group will meet over the next year.
Microsoft and Amazon were pivotal players in shaping the legislation, Protocol previously reported, and consumer groups have argued that it does not go far enough. The legislation is similar to California's privacy law but it does not empower individuals to sue companies for privacy violations.
The Consumer Data Protection Act, which applies to a large segment of Virginia businesses, will allow users to access, correct, delete or obtain a copy of their personal data. It will also enable users to opt out of the processing of their personal data for targeted advertising.