We congratulate our friend and colleague Lydia de la Torre on her appointment to the inaugural board for the California Privacy Protection Agency.  “Californians deserve to have their data protected and the individuals appointed today will bring their expertise in technology, privacy and consumer rights to advance that goal,” said Governor Newsom. “These appointees [including Lydia] represent a new day in online consumer protection and business accountability.”

In 2018, California became the first state in the U.S. to equip consumers with new privacy tools and new privacy rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act. On November 3, 2020, California voters approved Proposition 24, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which created the California Privacy Protection Agency. Enforcement of the CPRA will begin in 2023.  The California Privacy Protection Agency will have full administrative power, authority, and jurisdiction to implement and enforce the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act. The board of the CPPA will appoint the agency’s executive director, officers, counsel and employees. The agency may bring enforcement actions related to the CCPA or CPRA before an administrative law judge. The Attorney General will retain civil enforcement authority over the CCPA and the CPRA.

“The California Privacy Protection Agency marks a historic new chapter in data privacy by establishing the first agency in the country dedicated to protecting forty million Californians’ fundamental privacy rights,” said Attorney General Becerra. “The CPPA Board will help California residents understand and control their data privacy while holding online businesses accountable.”

“The chance to serve on the Board of the new California Privacy Protection Agency is a great opportunity for Lydia, and one for which she is exceptionally well suited given her diverse background and talents.  She has uniquely balanced an academic and private practice career, and public service is a natural next step for her” said Alan Friel, Deputy Chair of Squire Patton Boggs’ Global Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice.  “We could not be happier for her and commend Senator Atkins on the selection of such a qualified individual.  While we are sorry to see Lydia go, her selection continues a long tradition of public service by our attorneys, which our firm fully embraces.”