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Majority Task Force To Continue Looking At Privacy Invasion Issues
Thursday, June 15, 2000
The New York State Senate passed 19 pieces of legislation during its 2000 session which are designed to protect people�s privacy, give people greater control over access to personal information and punish criminals who would steal and abuse that information through the crime of identity theft. All the bills were recommendations of the Senate Majority Task Force on Privacy Invasion.
�The many privacy protection bills passed by the Senate are indicative of the hard work done on this issue by the Senators and staff that work on the Task Force,� said Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, Chairman of the Task Force. �In this age of computers and high technology, personal information is easily available and often abused. The legislation we passed would go a long way toward updating State laws to address this situation to ensure greater protection of people�s right to privacy.
�The Assembly has already joined us in passing a telemarketing fraud bill, which is particularly important to senior citizens and our legislation to create a statewide �do not call� registry to help prevent unwanted phone solicitations,� Senator Bruno said. �I hope the Assembly will take a close look at the other Privacy Invasion Task Force bills and join us in passing them as well.�
�As Vice Chairman of the Senate Majority Task Force on Privacy Invasion, it has been a pleasure for me to work with Senator Bruno Senator Goodman and my colleagues on the Task Force in fighting for these critically important measures, including legislation I sponsored which would combat identity theft and credit fraud and help to protect consumers,� Senator
Michael F. Nozzolio (R-C, Fayette), Co-Vice Chairman of the Task Force, said.
�The theft of an individual�s identity for criminal purposes has become a serious epidemic,� Senator Roy M. Goodman (R-L, Manhattan), Co-Vice Chairman of the Task Force said. �The work of the Senate Majority Task Force on Privacy Invasion has resulted in legislation which will go a long way toward solving the problem. We look forward to the Assembly passing these bills so they will take effect immediately.�
The Task Force, which was appointed by Senator Bruno last year, held public hearings throughout the State and issued an extensive 76 page report this spring on many privacy-related issues, along with a list of recommendations on what the State could do to better protect people�s privacy.
The following is a list of privacy-related bills, recommended by the Task Force and passed by the Senate:
-- Creates the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud Abuse Prevention Act. This act will protect consumers from fraudulent telemarketers by prohibiting certain deceptive practices that are not addressed by federal rules. (Senator George Maziarz, R-C, North Tonowanda, S.8116, also passed by Assembly)
-- Establishes a statewide registry of consumers who do not wish to receive unsolicited telemarketing sales calls (Senator Charles Fuschillo (R-C, Merrick, S. 8132, also passed by Assembly)
-- Would limit disclosure of a customer�s personal information by financial institutions. (Senator Hugh T. Farley R-C, Schenectady (S.8091)
-- Prohibits SPAM (unsolicited commercial e-mail) and established protections to consumers to prevent SPAM. (Senator Mary Lou Rath, R-C, Williamsville, S. 722C)
-- Establishes more stringent identification requirements to obtain credit to combat "identity theft" and credit fraud. This bill would also provide protection for Social Security numbers and require credit reporting agencies to provide consumers with one free credit report each year. (Senator Michael Nozzolio, R-C, Fayette, S. 1586)
-- Prohibits the sale and disclosure of title and registration information by the State Department of Motor Vehicle records. (Senator Caesar Trunzo S. 6945)
-- Provides that information pertaining to a covered person under an insurance policy may be withheld from the policy holder where there is an order of protection. (Senator Michael Balboni, R-C, Mineola, S.4999)
-- Creates the crime of identity theft and establish strict penalties for thieves who obtain another person's personal information and use their identity to commit fraud and other unlawful acts. (Senator Roy Goodman, R-L, Manhattan, S. 1188B)
-- Protects against unlawful video surveillance. A person would be guilty of the crime of unlawful video surveillance if he or she installs or utilizes, or permits the installation or utilization, of a video surveillance device to record or observe a person with out the consent of either party. (Senator Carl Marcellino, R, Syosset, S.2790)
-- Protects the confidentiality of E-Z Pass and Metrocard customer account information to protect the safety of customer's and employees. (Senator Caesar Trunzo, R, Brentwood, S.4413)
-- Prohibits schools and colleges from using students' Social Security numbers as student identification numbers which are often accessible to the public on class lists, student identification cards and university web sites. (Senator Hugh Farley, R-C, Schenectedy, S.6237)
-- Provides that a victim of or witness to a crime will not be required to disclose his or her home address or telephone number in open court.(Senator Michael Balboni, R-C, Mineola, S.853A)
-- Amends the criminal procedure law, in relation to authorizing child witnesses to testify by use of closed-circuit television in assault and endangering the welfare of a child proceedings. (Senator Stephen Saland, R-C, Poughkeepsie, S. 6758)
-- Creates Internet privacy protections regarding harassment. (Senator Goodman, S.1109)
-- Protects against the unlawful possession of ATM or access cards. (Senator James Wright, R-C-I, Watertown, S.1232)
-- Prevents criminal use of personal information in public records. The bill makes it a crime for people to access public records to gain personal data on unsuspecting citizens. (Senator Owen Johnson, R, Babylon, S. 1962)
-- Bills that protect the confidentiality of employee records. (Senator Dale Volker, R-C, Depew, S.2059, Senator James Lack, R, Hauppague, S.3592, Senator Volker S.4276)
-- Safeguards the right to privacy for patients with disabilities undergoing physical exams by requiring that no physician, hospital or other health care provider shall subject a patient to visual observation by any person not necessary to the diagnosis or treatment. (Senator Thomas Libous, R-C, Binghamton, S.2197)
MORE
-- Requires the destruction of any records containing personal information (Senator Dean Skelos, R, Rockville Centre, S.5074-A)
Senator Bruno noted that that the Task Force will continue its work examining other privacy-related issues.
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