A wave of state-level action is unfolding across the U.S. as lawmakers respond to the recent shooting of Minnesota legislators — one fatally — allegedly by a man who found his victims’ personal information online, according to court filings. The incident has reignited debate over data privacy laws and whether current safeguards for public officials need to be updated.
Oregon enacts law to shield officials’ home addresses
On Tuesday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, D, signed a bill that shields the personal information of elected officials from public records. The bipartisan bill was already making its way through the legislative process before the Minnesota killing, but it gained renewed attention and urgency following the shootings.
“This targeted political attack that happened is so incredibly troubling and really is a call to action,” Kotek said during a media event after the attack.
Senate Bill 224 requires the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office to remove the home addresses of a wide range of public officials — including legislators, judges, city council members, county commissioners and school board members — from public documents. The law is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
Alleged Minnesota shooter used ‘people search’ websites
According to court documents, 57-year-old Vance Boelter allegedly found addresses of his victims — Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman, who was killed, and Sen. John Hoffman, who was injured — through “people search” websites and a list of registered data brokers. A notebook found in his vehicle included names of data-selling companies and personal information about dozens of lawmakers.
“Boelter stalked his victims like prey,” acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said during a June 23 press conference. “He used the internet and other tools to find their addresses and names, the names of their family members.”
Multiple states with similar legislation in motion
Florida lawmakers passed SB 268 in April, which would exempt the home addresses and phone numbers of state and federal legislators from public records laws. The bill needs Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature to become law. If signed, the measure would also extend privacy protections to lawmakers’ family members and go into effect on July 1, 2025.
However, the legislation drew criticism from the First Amendment Foundation, which argued that the bill could limit transparency, including efforts to verify whether lawmakers reside in their districts.
“While the bill will do little to deter bad actors, it makes it extremely difficult for people to check whether their elected officials actually live in their districts,” the First Amendment Foundation said in an online statement.
In Michigan, lawmakers are considering similar changes to shield addresses of elected officials.
“I’m looking at all the options right now, and it’s been something we’ve already been talking about, so I would anticipate something coming up,” Michigan state Rep. Sarah Lightner, R, said.
Shortly after the Minnesota shootings, the North Dakota Legislature’s staff agency removed legislators’ home addresses from public websites as a precaution. New Mexico followed suit, scrubbing lawmakers’ addresses from the legislative website.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, R, signed a bill into law in June that extends the option for address removal to statewide elected officials and legislators. Judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers were already covered under existing laws. The new shield protections will take effect in 2026.
Georgia passed a law earlier this year that removes personal home addresses and contact information for judges and their spouses from public records. That law takes effect July 1.
Earlier tragedies led to state-level change
In 2020, a gunman posing as a delivery driver shot and killed the 20-year-old son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in New Jersey. The shooter had found the family’s address online, according to the investigation. That attack led to New Jersey’s “Daniel’s Law,” which blocks the release of judges’ home addresses and allows officials to request removal of personal data from websites.
Maryland enacted a similar law in 2024, prohibiting the publication of judges’ personal information after a judge was shot and killed by a man upset over a divorce ruling.
Will there be federal action from Congress?
In Congress, attempts to pass nationwide protections have repeatedly stalled. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D, whose name appeared on the accused Minnesota shooter’s list, previously introduced bipartisan legislation in 2023 to stop the sale of federal lawmakers’ personal data. The bill failed to advance.
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon described the data broker industry as “sleazy” and stated that no American is safe until Congress takes action.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., has pushed for legislation to give all Americans — not just public officials — the right to keep personal information private.
contributed to this report.