Bill Text: PA HB736 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to confidentiality of Social Security numbers.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-05 - Referred to INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS [HB736 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB736-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 822
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 736 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, HARHART, LONGIETTI, SIPTROTH, TALLMAN, MELIO, MANN, BARRAR, KORTZ, McGEEHAN AND JOSEPHS, MARCH 5, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 5, 2009
AN ACT
Relating to confidentiality of Social Security numbers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Social
Security Number Confidentiality Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Publicly post" or "publicly display." To intentionally
communicate or otherwise make available to the general public.
Section 3. Privacy of Social Security numbers.
(a) General rule.--No person or entity may do any of the
following:
(1) Publicly post or publicly display in any manner an
individual's Social Security number.
(2) Print an individual's Social Security number on any
card required for the individual to access products or
services provided by the person or entity.
(3) Require an individual to transmit the individual's
Social Security number over the Internet unless the
connection is secure or the Social Security number is
encrypted.
(4) Require an individual to use the individual's Social
Security number to access an Internet website unless a
password or unique personal identification number or other
authentication device is also required to access the Internet
website.
(5) Print an individual's Social Security number on any
materials that are mailed to the individual unless Federal or
State law requires the Social Security number to be on the
document to be mailed. Notwithstanding this provision,
applications and forms sent by mail may include Social
Security numbers.
(b) Use prior to effective date.--A person or entity that
has used, prior to the effective date of this section, an
individual's Social Security number in a manner inconsistent
with subsection (a) may continue using that individual's Social
Security number in that manner on or after the effective date of
this section, if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The use of the Social Security number is continuous.
If the use is stopped for any reason, subsection (a) shall
apply.
(2) The individual is provided an annual disclosure by
the person or entity informing the individual that the
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individual has the right to stop the use of the individual's
Social Security number in a manner prohibited by subsection
(a).
(3) A written request by an individual to stop the use
of the individual's Social Security number in a manner
prohibited by subsection (a) shall be implemented within 30
days of the receipt of the request. There shall be no fee or
charge for implementing the request.
(4) The person or entity does not deny services to an
individual because the individual makes a written request
pursuant to this subsection.
(c) Mailings.--A Social Security number that is permitted to
be mailed under this section may not be printed, in whole or in
part, on a postcard or other mailer not requiring an envelope,
or visible on the envelope or without the envelope having been
opened.
(d) Construction.--This section does not prevent the
collection, use or release of a Social Security number as
required by Federal or State law or the use of a Social Security
number for internal verification or administrative purposes.
Section 4. Prohibition.
A person or entity may not encode or embed a Social Security
number in or on a card or document, including, but not limited
to, using a bar code, chip, magnetic strip or other technology,
in place of removing the Social Security number, as required by
this act.
Section 5. Applicability.
This act does not apply to documents that are required to be
open to the public pursuant to any Federal or State law.
Section 6. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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