CalChamber Appeals Order Allowing Privacy Rules Enforcement

Businesses sought California Supreme Court review of a state appeals court’s Feb. 9 decision that the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) may start enforcing California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) regulations. The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) on Tuesday filed a petition for review (case S283856). California’s 3rd District Court of Appeal had vacated the June decision of the California Superior Court in Sacramento, which had granted a CalChamber petition and stayed any CPPA rules for 12 months after they become final (see 2402090078). At the California Supreme Court, CalChamber argued that the appeals court ruling means businesses will have only one month to prepare for enforcement. “The Agency failed to adopt regulations necessary to implement the initiative by the statutory deadline, and it continues to repudiate the linked requirement … to abstain from commencing regulatory and civil enforcement until one year after issuance of those regulations,” the CalChamber petition said. “The Agency’s conduct threatens substantial harm to thousands of California businesses and the consumers they serve.” CalChamber CEO Jennifer Barrera said she sees “no way the voters envisioned a scenario where enforcement of regulations would begin without those regulations being in place for a reasonable period of time that affords both businesses and consumers with adequate time to prepare and comply.” The state privacy agency declined to comment Wednesday.