This month’s column varies from my usual analysis of a specific instance of litigation relevant to the security industry. Instead, I want to draw attention to the many states that are looking at legislation to regulate privacy. As I often express to security industry professionals, alarm companies collect information from their subscribers and this information must be protected and kept confidential.  

Iowa and Indiana have now become the sixth and the seventh states, respectively, to provide comprehensive privacy protection to residents of those states, following the lead of California, Virginia, Connecticut, Colorado and Utah. Those who do business in Iowa or have Iowa consumers as customers/users have until Jan. 1, 2025, to bring their operations into compliance.  Those with a presence in and/or consumers/customers/users based in Indiana have until Jan. 1, 2026, to comply.