Compliance Stuff

Alabama has enacted a new law aimed at improving access to employment for uniformed services personnel and their spouses. 0:00 5:26 Quick Hits Effective January 1, 2027, private employers in Alabama may voluntarily adopt written hiring and promotion preference policies for veterans, spouses of veterans, and spouses of active-duty service members. Employers that implement such policies must notify the Alabama Department of Workforce. The Alabama law’s definitions of veterans and active-duty service members may be narrower than those under USERRA. HB 307 On April 16, 2026, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law House Bill (HB) 307, Act No 2026-574 , titled, “Expanding Employment Opportunities for Military Families in Alabama,” along with a broader package of legislation intended to assist military families. HB 307 replaces former Alabama Code Section 36-226-15 and takes effect on January 1, 2027. While the new law primarily applies to access to state employment for uniformed service p...

In April 2026, Alabama enacted the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act ( APDPA ), making it the 22nd U.S. state to adopt a broad consumer privacy law governing how organizations collect, use, and disclose personal data. While the APDPA reflects many elements common to other state privacy frameworks, it also stands out for several business‑friendly features, including broad exemptions, a permanent cure period, and narrower operational obligations than those imposed by some other state laws. T he APDPA is scheduled to take effect on May 1, 2027, and reflects the continued expansion of state-level privacy legislation across the United States. Given its close alignment to existing consumer privacy laws such as the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) that was enacted in 2021 , organizations with existing privacy compliance programs likely will not be required to make substantial adjustments to their compliance programs if the APDPA applies to them. We discuss the APDPA in more d...

On April 16, 2026, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the  Alabama Personal Data Protection Act  (APDPA) into law, making A labama the twenty-first state to enact a comprehensive privacy law. Alabama is the second state to pass a comprehensive privacy law this year, with  Oklahoma  passing a comprehensive privacy law last month. Notably, the APDPA has l ow applicability thresholds, applying to entities that control or process personal information of more than 25,000 Alabama residents or derive more than 25% of gross revenue from the sale of personal data. However, the law contains a narrow definition of sale and includes standard entity-wide exemptions for entities covered by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), as well as both covered entities and business associates regulated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) . It also i ncludes exemptions for personal data processed in a “commercial” or “employment” context. Additionally, unlike many...

On April 7, 2026, the Alabama legislature unanimously passed  House Bill 351 , the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act. The bill cleared the House 104-0 and the Senate 34-0, making Alabama the 21st state to enact a comprehensive consumer privacy statute. If signed by Governor Kay Ivey, the law will take effect on May 1, 2027. While many recent additions to the state privacy patchwork have closely tracked the Virginia model, Alabama’s law introduces several notable departures, particularly around applicability thresholds, the definition of “sale,” and entity-level exemptions, that businesses collecting data of Alabama residents will need to evaluate carefully. Applicability Thresholds The Alabama Personal Data Protection Act applies to persons that conduct business in the state or produce products or services targeted to Alabama residents and that meet either of two thresholds. Section 3 of the Act provides: “The provisions of this act apply to persons that conduct business in thi...

On March 14, 2026, the West Virginia Legislature passed a  bill  (House Bill (HB) 4009) to allow employers to contribute to a worker’s portable benefit account while still classifying that worker as an independent contractor. The bill is likely to be especially impactful for rideshare and food delivery companies that rely heavily on gig workers for app-based services. 0:00 4:27 Quick Hits West Virginia legislators passed a bill (HB 4009) that permits companies to provide portable benefit accounts for workers without needing to classify those workers as employees. Governor Patrick Morrisey has not signed or vetoed the bill yet. If enacted, the bill would take e ffect for taxable years starting on January 1, 2026, or later. Portable benefits are benefits that stay with the individual and accumulate based on hours worked or a percentage of transaction fees. They can function similar to a 401(k), paid time off program, or health savings account (HSA). Instead of benefits offered...