| name | state-law-applicability |
| description | US state privacy law applicability assessment tool. Evaluates revenue thresholds, data volume thresholds, business exemptions (GLBA, HIPAA, nonprofits), employee data carve-outs, and SBA small business determinations across all enacted state privacy laws. |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| metadata | {"author":"mukul975","version":"1.0","domain":"privacy","subdomain":"us-state-privacy-laws","tags":"applicability, thresholds, exemptions, glba, hipaa, small-business"} |
State Privacy Law Applicability Assessment
Overview
Determining which US state privacy laws apply to an organization requires evaluating multiple criteria: revenue thresholds, consumer/data volume thresholds, industry-specific exemptions, entity-type exemptions, and data-type exemptions. This skill provides a systematic assessment framework and Python automation tool for evaluating applicability across all major enacted state privacy laws.
Assessment Framework
Step 1: Geographic Nexus
For each state, determine if the organization has nexus through:
- Conducting business in the state (physical presence, employees, registered entity)
- Targeting residents of the state (marketing, advertising, or providing products/services specifically to state residents)
- Producing products/services consumed by state residents
Most state laws use "conducts business in [state] OR produces products or services targeted to [state] residents" as the nexus requirement.
Step 2: Threshold Assessment
| State | Threshold 1 | Threshold 2 | Revenue Alternative |
|---|
| California | 100,000 consumers/households | 50% revenue from sale/sharing | $25,000,000 annual gross revenue |
| Virginia | 100,000 consumers | 25,000 consumers + 50% revenue from sale | None |
| Colorado | 100,000 consumers | 25,000 consumers + revenue/discount from sale | None |
| Connecticut | 100,000 consumers (excl. payment) | 25,000 consumers + 25% revenue from sale | None |
| Texas | Non-SBA small business | N/A | None (no threshold) |
| Oregon | 100,000 consumers (excl. payment) | 25,000 consumers + 25% revenue from sale | None |
| Montana | 50,000 consumers (excl. payment) | 25,000 consumers + 25% revenue from sale | None |
| Kentucky | 100,000 consumers | 25,000 consumers + 50% revenue from sale | None |
Step 3: Entity-Level Exemptions
| Exemption | CA | VA | CO | CT | TX | OR | MT | KY |
|---|
| Government | N/A (for-profit only) | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt |
| GLBA financial institutions | Data-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level |
| HIPAA covered entities | Data-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level | Entity-level |
| Nonprofits | Not exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Not exempt | Exempt | Exempt |
| Higher education | Not exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Not exempt | Exempt | Exempt |
| Air carriers | Not exempt | Not exempt | Not exempt | Not exempt | Not exempt | Not exempt | Exempt | Not exempt |
Step 4: Data-Level Exemptions
Data that is already governed by certain federal laws may be exempt even if the organization itself is not:
| Federal Law | Full Name | Data Type |
|---|
| GLBA | Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. §6801) | Financial data under GLBA privacy rules |
| HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (42 U.S.C. §1320d) | Protected health information (PHI) |
| FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. §1232g) | Education records |
| FCRA | Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. §1681) | Consumer credit reports |
| DPPA | Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. §2721) | Motor vehicle records |
| COPPA | Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. §6501) | Children's data under COPPA |
| Farm Credit Act | Farm Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. §2001) | Farm credit data |
California distinction: CCPA/CPRA exempts the data governed by these federal laws, not the entity. A GLBA-covered bank is still subject to CCPA for personal data that falls outside GLBA's scope (e.g., marketing data not related to financial products).
Step 5: Employee Data Assessment
| State | Employee Data Status |
|---|
| California | Fully covered (CPRA removed prior partial exemption) |
| Virginia | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
| Colorado | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
| Connecticut | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
| Texas | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
| Oregon | Partial exemption: Rights exempt; controller duties, DPIAs, sensitive consent apply |
| Montana | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
| Kentucky | Exempt from consumer rights; controller duties apply |
Step 6: SBA Small Business Determination (Texas TDPSA)
The TDPSA is the only state law that uses the SBA small business definition. Key steps:
- Identify the organization's primary NAICS code
- Look up the SBA size standard for that NAICS code in 13 CFR §121.201
- Compare the organization's annual receipts or employee count to the threshold
- If the organization qualifies as a small business:
- Most TDPSA provisions are exempt
- Prohibition on selling sensitive data without consent still applies (§541.107(b))
Common SBA thresholds for technology/retail companies:
| NAICS | Industry | Revenue Threshold |
|---|
| 454110 | Electronic shopping | $40,000,000 |
| 519130 | Internet publishing and web search portals | $47,000,000 |
| 518210 | Data processing and hosting | $35,000,000 |
| 511210 | Software publishers | $47,000,000 |
| 541511 | Custom computer programming | $34,000,000 |
Liberty Commerce Inc. Assessment Summary
| State | Consumers | Revenue from Sale | Applicable | Basis |
|---|
| California | 320,000 | 12% | YES | Revenue >$25M + 100K consumers |
| Virginia | 145,000 | 12% | YES | 100K+ consumers |
| Colorado | 98,000 | 12% | YES | 25K+ with revenue from sale |
| Connecticut | 87,000 | 12% | Borderline | Below 100K; below 25% revenue |
| Texas | 410,000 | 12% | YES | Non-SBA small business |
| Oregon | 72,000 | 12% | NO | Below both thresholds |
| Montana | 28,000 | 12% | NO | Below both thresholds |
| Kentucky | 68,000 | 12% | NO | Below both thresholds |
Key Regulatory References
- SBA Size Standards: 13 CFR §121.201
- GLBA: 15 U.S.C. §6801-6809
- HIPAA: 42 U.S.C. §1320d et seq.; 45 CFR Parts 160, 164
- FERPA: 20 U.S.C. §1232g
- FCRA: 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq.
- COPPA: 15 U.S.C. §6501-6506
- DPPA: 18 U.S.C. §2721-2725