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Senate Passes Wonderling's Computer Breach Legislation
HARRISBURG -- The
Senate unanimously passed legislation today that requires financial institutions
to notify customers of any breach of security systems that might result in
unauthorized viewing of their personal information.
Sen. Rob Wonderling (R-24),
who introduced Senate Bill 712, said that his legislation would be a major tool
in preventing identity theft. Reported cases of identity theft in Pennsylvania
have risen from just over 5,000 in 2002 to more than 7,500 last year.
“Identity theft is a growing
problem in our 21st Century economy, and we must give our consumers more tools
to protect themselves when they are at the greatest risk,” Sen. Wonderling said.
“I am hopeful that the Governor and my colleagues in the House will act quickly
to extend this important protection to all Pennsylvanians.”
Senate Bill 712 would
require any entity that owns or licenses computerized data that includes
personal information to notify potentially affected customers of any breach of
its security systems. This would prevent consumers from having the security or
confidentiality of personal information compromised without their knowledge.
Under the bill, notification
would be required when an individual’s name could be viewed in combination with
other personal information, such as driver’s license numbers, social security
numbers or credit card numbers. Exceptions would be made in cases where the
cost of notification exceeds $250,000, or if the number of customers affected is
more than 500,000.
Sen. Wonderling introduced
the bill in response to the increasing number of computer breaches across the
nation. Just this year, more than 10 million Americans have been affected by
computer breaches at banks, universities and other financial institutions.
Senate Bill 712 now goes to
the House of Representatives for consideration.
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