State Senator Thomas A. Colapietro
May 6, 2008
Colapietro Leads Senate in Approving Social Security Protection, Identity Theft Measures
State Senator Thomas A. Colapietro (D-Bristol), Senate chair of the General Law Committee, led the Connecticut Senate tonight in approving two bills designed to help protect private information and prevent identity theft.
"There are more and more cases of identity theft each year," said Senator Colapietro. "These two bills are designed to protect personal information and consumers, prevent identity theft and provide greater penalties for people convicted of identity theft crimes. It can take years to repair the damage caused by identity theft. These are broad bipartisan measures that will help protect people in the state of Connecticut."
The Senate amended House Bill 5658, An Act Concerning the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers, and returned it to the state House of Representatives for reconsideration. The amendment requires anyone in possession of the personal information of another person to safeguard the information and destroy any data, computer files or documents, and requires anyone who collects Social Security numbers in the course of business to create a privacy protection policy that protects confidentiality, prohibits unlawful disclosure and limits access to Social Security numbers. The measure also makes any person who violates the law liable for civil penalties of $500 for each violation, up to $500,000 for a single event.
"I'd like to thank Representative Frank Nicastro of Bristol for his strong advocacy on behalf of this very important piece of legislation," Senator Colapietro added.
The Senate also approved Senate Bill 30, An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy and Identity Theft, which adds identity theft from a victim 60 years of age or older as a class A or B felony. It makes criminal impersonation a class A misdemeanor and creates the a class A misdemeanor for unlawful possession of an access device, which includes any card, plate, code, account number or any of various other items that contain personal identifying information.
The legislation increases the damages that victims can seek in court, requires employers to secure employee files containing personal information, requires banks and credit unions to protect against identity theft when destroying documents, and protects against the copying, dissemination or transmitting of all or part of a Social Security number or of other personal information by any state agency or political subdivision of the state.
Both bills were passed unanimously by consent. Senate Bill 30 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The 2008 regular legislative session adjourns tomorrow, May 7.
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