Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 11 Democratic cosponsors · See all 11 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2026 bans data brokers from selling, transferring, or sharing sensitive location and health data. It also makes it illegal for anyone to sell this sensitive information to a data broker. The legislation provides clear exceptions for HIPAA-compliant activities, newsworthy public information, and disclosures authorized directly by the individual. The Federal Trade Commission, State Attorneys General, and everyday citizens are given the power to enforce these rules through civil lawsuits. Additionally, the bill appropriates one billion dollars to the Federal Trade Commission to fund its oversight work through September 2035.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +9
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill significantly enhances privacy by prohibiting the sale and transfer of sensitive location and health data by data brokers.
- Scored +9
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The act establishes strong protections against the commercialization of sensitive personal location and health information.
- Scored +7
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill prohibits data brokers from selling sensitive location and health data, providing significant privacy protections for consumers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Personal Privacy: Section 2 makes it unlawful for data brokers to sell, trade, or transfer sensitive location and health data, which shields everyday people from having their most private moments tracked and monetized.
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Accountability and Legal Power for Citizens: Section 3 gives regular individuals the right to bring a civil action in court against violators to stop bad behavior, demand the deletion of their information, and obtain financial damages or compensation.
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State-Level Enforcement: Section 3 allows State Attorneys General to step in and file lawsuits on behalf of state residents to stop violations, collect civil penalties, and secure compensation for aggrieved people.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Potential Delays or Gaps Before Rules Are Finalized: Section 2 requires the Federal Trade Commission to issue a final rule or wait up to 180 days after enactment for the full prohibition to take effect, meaning people could experience a waiting period before protections are fully active.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects data related to pregnancy and miscarriage, which is a vital privacy interest for women. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Privacy protections for health and location data provide security to all households regardless of income. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill restricts the commercial exploitation of sensitive personal information for middle-income individuals.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill significantly enhances privacy by prohibiting the sale and transfer of sensitive location and health data by data brokers. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill empowers the FTC and State attorneys general to enforce new privacy standards through civil actions.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The act establishes strong protections against the commercialization of sensitive personal location and health information.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill prohibits data brokers from selling sensitive location and health data, providing significant privacy protections for consumers.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill protects the privacy of health-related searches and data, which can encourage individuals to seek care without fear of data exposure.
- 11/10/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/22/2026
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 6/29/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/25/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Joyce BeattyDemocrat · Ohio
Christopher DeluzioDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Maxine DexterDemocrat · Oregon
Adriano EspaillatDemocrat · New York
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Pramila JayapalDemocrat · Washington
Zoe LofgrenDemocrat · California
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan
Shri ThanedarDemocrat · Michigan
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York