Californians will be able to submit a single request under a state law asking that data brokers delete their personal data. Gavin Newsom signed the law into law on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 362, also known as the Delete Act, directs the California Privacy Protection Agency to create this new tool by January 2026.

Data brokers include companies that collect and sell people’s personal information, such as addresses, spending habits and employment status. There are about 500 data brokers registered in California, and these companies include everything from people search sites to analytics companies that work with political campaigns.

Californians already have the right to ask companies to delete their personal data, but consumers must make multiple requests. It’s also difficult for consumers to know which data brokers have their personal data, and companies can refuse a deletion request.

State lawmakers who passed the bill said the Delete Act will help protect consumer privacy and make it easier to obtain sensitive information

fierce,

such as their location or about reproductive health care. Companies that rely on personal data to market their products, verify identities or fight crime opposed the measure, arguing it would hurt the economy.

Consumers can exclude certain data brokers from their deletion request, and there are exceptions

under the bill

.