The House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee in the State of Wyoming has recently voted to recommend approving two State Senate bills that deal with data privacy and fiduciary access issues. “Senate File 34 seeks to provide guidance to fiduciaries regarding how they can gain access to a person’s email accounts and online profiles after the person has died.” There is a growing nationwide push to give people the ability to appoint who can manage their online accounts after they pass away. Lawmakers who are drafting the bill are collaborating with different online companies like Facebook. They are trying to balance the desire to give people more control with concerns about privacy. As more state governments take on this issue there will likely be calls in the future for federal action.
See James Chilton, House committee approves data privacy, fiduciary access bills, Casper Star Tribune, February 24, 2016.
Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
