New Jersey Bans the Sale of Sensitive Data, Creates Data Broker Registry

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed A5328, banning the sale of sensitive data and creating a data broker registry in New Jersey.

The ban on sale applies to all forms of sensitive data under the New Jersey Data Privacy Act and applies to all entities regardless of the number of consumers whose data the entity possesses. The move towards banning the sale of sensitive data is a clear trend among states. Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Connecticut, and now New Jersey have banned the sale of some – or, in Maryland and New Jersey’s cases, all – categories of sensitive information. Massachusetts is considering legislation with a similar protection.

The law also requires data brokers, as well as data collectors who have a direct relationship with consumers but disclose their information to data brokers, to register and pay an annual fee up to $1.5 million dollars depending on the volume of personal data it collects.