John,

It's your cool new electronic wristwatch; your garage door opener; even your toaster, and baby monitor, designed to reassure parents and caretakers. It's dozens and dozens of devices that can be commonly found in every home or office.

The internet isn't only a central marketplace of ideas and commerce – it's each and every "thing" that's connected to it.

Innovation is happening faster and faster. How we keep pace with it – and protect the privacy and data of everyone relying on it – is a conversation we must be having.

When people talk about cybersecurity, they're often referring to the big things: bank accounts, social security numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information.

We must expand this conversation to the millions of devices that are connected to the internet and our lives in myriad ways and that are largely unregulated.

Here in Oregon, we're doing just that. In the recently-completed legislative session, I led the way on House Bill 2395, which aimed to tighten regulation of IoT, also known as the "internet of things."

The main goal? Make manufacturers provide reasonable security for all the consumer devices which are rapidly filling up our lives and homes.

The result? The bill has been signed into law!

This is just a single step, but a very important one. And it is my third successive legislative success in the realm of consumer internet privacy and security.

I am very proud that here in Oregon, we are taming the technological frontier of the "Wild West" – one law at a time!