93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4712

 

Introduced 02/04/04, by Charles G. Morrow III

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
815 ILCS 505/2QQ new

    Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes it an unlawful practice to publicly post or display an individual's social security number, print an individual's social security number on any card required to access products or services, require an individual to transmit his or her social security number over the Internet, require an individual to use his or her social security number to access an Internet web site, or print an individual's social security number on materials that are mailed to the individual, subject to various exceptions. Effective July 1, 2005.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB4712 LRB093 19712 WGH 45453 b

1     AN ACT concerning consumer protection.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
5 Practices Act is amended by adding Section 2QQ as follows:
 
6     (815 ILCS 505/2QQ new)
7     Sec. 2QQ. Use of Social Security numbers.
8     (a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, a person
9 may not do any of the following:
10         (1) Publicly post or publicly display in any manner an
11     individual's social security number. As used in this
12     Section, "publicly post" or "publicly display" means to
13     intentionally communicate or otherwise make available to
14     the general public.
15         (2) Print an individual's social security number on any
16     card required for the individual to access products or
17     services provided by the person or entity.
18         (3) Require an individual to transmit his or her social
19     security number over the Internet, unless the connection is
20     secure or the social security number is encrypted.
21         (4) Require an individual to use his or her social
22     security number to access an Internet web site, unless a
23     password or unique personal identification number or other
24     authentication device is also required to access the
25     Internet Web site.
26         (5) Print an individual's social security number on any
27     materials that are mailed to the individual, unless State
28     or federal law requires the social security number to be on
29     the document to be mailed. Notwithstanding any provision in
30     this Section to the contrary, social security numbers may
31     be included in applications and forms sent by mail,
32     including documents sent as part of an application or

 

 

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1     enrollment process or to establish, amend, or terminate an
2     account, contract, or policy or to confirm the accuracy of
3     the social security number. A social security number that
4     may permissibly be mailed under this Section may not be
5     printed, in whole or in part, on a postcard or other mailer
6     that does not require an envelope or be visible on an
7     envelope or visible without the envelope having been
8     opened.
9     (b) A person that used, before July 1, 2005, an
10     individual's social security number in a manner inconsistent
11     with subsection (a) may continue using that individual's social
12     security number in the same manner on or after July 1, 2005 if
13     all of the following conditions are met:
14         (1) The use of the social security number is
15     continuous. If the use is stopped for any reason,
16     subsection (a) shall apply.
17         (2) The individual is provided an annual disclosure
18     that informs the individual that he or she has the right to
19     stop the use of his or her social security number in a
20     manner prohibited by subsection (a).
21     A written request by an individual to stop the use of his
22     or her social security number in a manner prohibited by
23     subsection (a) shall be implemented within 30 days of the
24     receipt of the request. There shall be no fee or charge for
25     implementing the request. A person shall not deny services to
26     an individual because the individual makes such a written
27     request.
28     (c) This Section does not apply to the collection, use, or
29     release of a social security number as required by State or
30     federal law or the use of a social security number for internal
31     verification or administrative purposes.
32     (d) This Section does not apply to documents that are
33     recorded or required to be open to the public under State or
34     federal law, applicable case law, Supreme Court Rule, or the
35     Constitution of the State of Illinois.
36     (e) If a federal law takes effect requiring the United

 

 

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1     States Department of Health and Human Services to establish a
2     national unique patient health identifier program, any person
3     who complies with the federal law shall be deemed to be in
4     compliance with this Section.
5     (f) A person may not encode or embed a social security
6     number in or on a card or document, including, but not limited
7     to, using a bar code, chip, magnetic strip, or other
8     technology, in place of removing the social security number as
9     required by this Section.
10     (g) Any person who violates this Section commits an
11     unlawful practice within the meaning of this Act.
 
12     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
13 2005.