HELENA - A bill working its way through the Montana Legislature would close loopholes in the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act and strengthen online data protections for children over the age of 13.Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billin gs, is carrying Senate Bill 297, which passed the Senate with unanimous support before moving to the House for debate. Zolnikov told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday that the bill is closely modeled after a recent Connecticut law that requires online sites to be cognizant and take precautions to prevent minors over 13 who use their sites from having their information exploited.There are a lack of protections for this age group, Zolnikov said. They are profitable. You can market specifically to them.The bill would also close a loophole in Montanas law that allows many financial institutions to be exempt from protections against data collection by specifying that only banks can be exempt from these regulations.Eric Rosenkoetter from the Receivables Management Association spoke in opposition to that part of the bill. He said non-bank businesses like check cashing businesses, accountants and real estate appraisers would bear the burden when there are already federal regulations to prevent misuse of personal data.The point is that non-bank financial institutions shouldnt be treated differently, because theyre subject to the very same federal regulations and requirements as banks or depository institutions, Rosenkoetter said.But Zolkinov said that is precisely the loophole the bill was trying to close, since many businesses can be considered financial institutions.Emma White is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Broadcasters Association, the Montana Newspaper Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. White can be reached at emma.white@umconnect.umt.edu.  ...read more read less