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Fende: Take Social Security numbers off the internet
Friday, March 3, 2006
For
immediate release: Friday, March 3,
2006
CONTACT: John Kohlstrand
at (614) 466-9036 or
Fende:
Take Social Security numbers off Internet
State Representative
Lorraine Fende said today she is drafting
legislation that will make it absolutely clear
that all public agencies in
Fende, D-Willowick, said
she is putting the legislation forward in
response to Secretary of State Ken Blackwell’s
decision to continue to allow Internet users to
view records that contain thousands of Social
Security numbers, despite the clear risk for
identity theft.
The Ohio Supreme Court
and the Ohio Attorney General’s office has
repeatedly expressed the opinion that public
agencies have a duty to redact Social Security
numbers before releasing the documents that
contain them to the public. This position was
reaffirmed last Wednesday by the Ohio Supreme
Court in State
ex rel. Montgomery Cty. Pub. Defender v.
Siroki.
“It’s a shame this
legislation is even necessary,” Fende said.
“The courts have been pretty clear that Social
Security numbers are exempt from public
disclosure.”
“In fact, it’s just
common sense: Putting thousands of Social
Security numbers online for all to see could
lead to identity theft,” Fende said. “We
shouldn’t need the courts to tell us that it’s
a terrible idea.”
Specifically, Fende’s
bill will clarify that all public agencies must
redact Social Security numbers from records
before making them public. Senate Democrats are
drafting similar
legislation.
Fende has tackled
identity theft before as a legislator. Last
year, she sponsored House Bill 135, legislation
that would prohibit Social Security numbers
from being included in copies of documents
submitted to county recorders’ offices. The
proposal passed the House as part of another
bill.
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