Government Technology
Government Technology: State & Local Government News Articles

Kentucky Identity Theft Bill Introduced



Print
Comment

Feb 20, 2008, News Report

Attorney General Jack Conway and Representative Robin Webb of Grayson filed legislation Friday that will help protect the identities of Kentuckians and update laws to keep pace with changes in technology. The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Jim Glenn of Owensboro and Rep. John Vincent of Ashland.

"This bill is a lifeline for consumers across our Commonwealth who've lived the nightmare of having their identities stolen," Conway said. "The legislation that Rep. Webb and I crafted protects consumers and provides avenues for them to help repair their good name."

"Identity theft is becoming the fastest-growing financial crime in America and Kentucky," said Webb. "This bill will protect victims of identity theft through better notification procedures, stronger legal options and better oversight from businesses."

The law will require businesses to notify residents if their personal information, such as a bank account number or Social Security number, has been compromised by improper disposal of paper records or an online security breach. Businesses must take reasonable steps to protect and properly dispose of personal information. If information is compromised, businesses could be civilly liable for losses incurred by consumers.

House Bill 553 will also require businesses to keep Social Security numbers hidden in mailings, remove as identification numbers on benefit cards and require security measures for Web sites where consumers enter their Social Security numbers.

The legislation will criminalize the practice of "phishing," where e-mails or Web sites mimicking legitimate businesses are created to scam consumers. The law will allow victims, the Attorney General, Internet-service providers and owners of Web sites or trademarks to sue the perpetrator for injunctive relief or damages.

In addition, the law will improve the efficiency of the legal process for individuals who are victims of identity theft. House Bill 553 will expedite the process for residents to obtain a Circuit Court order that they could use to dispute fraudulent charges. The law will require all local law-enforcement agencies to process identity-theft complaints and provide copies to victims. Identity-theft education will also be incorporated into basic training for all police officers. The law expands the scope of identity-theft violations to which victims may seek civil relief against criminals who've perpetrated these crimes.

And the bill will strengthen Kentucky's existing Harassing Communications statute by clarifying that the law also applies when a perpetrator uses another person's identity when sending an offending communication.

House Bill 553 will be assigned to a committee for review and a vote.


If You Liked This Article, You May Also Like...


Latest Government Technology News


Industry Solutions for Government

Read real world deployments of technology in government from our sponsors.

View All Industry Solutions

Related Products and Services

Marketplace



This section
brought to you by:


Mobile Communications Survey Executive Summary

More than 200 responses were captured to help gauge the effectiveness and types of communications and situational awareness capabilities currently deployed for emergency response. View the Executive Summary Now!

Dispatch Operations and Interoperability

A New Era in Public Safety BlackBerry® smartphones running on Sprint networks deliver a wide range of applications that are transforming public safety operations.


Hurricane Preparedness Tips When a hurricane hits, are you prepared to keep in touch?


Case Study - Morris County, New Jersey The Morris County Communications Center upgraded to a new trunked radio system with the benefits of a cellular network, extending coverage beyond county lines


Case Study - Iredell County, North Carolina Spanning over 570 sq miles, it became imperative that the Iredell County Emergency Communications, Operations and Management extend it's communications systems to enhance reliability, security, and coverage.


Case Study - City of Anaheim, California The City of Anaheim saw an opportunity to leverage existing GST and partner with nearby cities to enhance safety operations through data interoperability.


Case Study - Charlottesville, Virginia Fire Department Taking advantage of a range of interoperability solution, the Charlottesville Fire Department has achieved a network that can serve as backup to their existing public safety network.


Sprint ERT Go-Kit with GST Optima Rapid, interoperable communications for emergencies, drills and field exercises.


Optimal Interoperability Until recently it was not possible to cost effectively connect commercial networks to LMR systems. Improvements in communications technology have resulted in greatly enhanced operational capability and have reduced the log-term cost of communications system ownership.


Multi-agency interoperability for Public Safety Establishing cross-agency, real-time situational awareness is critical to effective incident management as well as daily resource management.


Video


DHS Grant Links

DHS Grants and Assistance Programs Link to overview of available grants administered by The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)


Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2008 Preparedness Grants Major changes in funding and focus for 2008 DHS grant programs


Remarks on 2008 Homeland Security Grant Guidance DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA Administrator David Paulison


$1.8 billion in DHS Homeland Security Grant Program Awards


Funding Public Safety Communications Whether you are a law enforcement agency, looking for funding to support an interoperable communications solution or a school, seeking to improve communications between building administrators, grants may provide the funding you need to implement a robust, scalable communication system.


Yes! I would like more information about Sprint's dispatch operations and interoperability solutions.