California is in the frame as Senate panel wages familiar debate over privacy legislation

Senators and witnesses alike cited broad bipartisan agreement over the desirability and some elements of a national data privacy and security law, but the consensus at the latest Senate Commerce hearing continued to break down over pre-emption of state privacy laws, with California’s landmark statute serving as a focus of debate.

“We’re trying to find a way to get this done,” Commerce Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) said at a Wednesday hearing. “The need for a uniform federal privacy law is...