Chillinsky Appointed to Ohio Privacy/Public Records Access Study Committee

Last week, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft appointed Michael Chillinsky, from Dayton to the Ohio Privacy/Public Record Access Study Committee. The committee is responsible for studying:

• "The concerns associated with the dissemination of personal information contained in public records, including, but not limited to, identity theft, misuse, harassment, and fraud"
• "The legitimate uses of personal information contained in public records by businesses, governments, legal community, and others, including, but not limited to, its use in combating identity theft and fraud"
• "The costs to state and local governments associated with placing restrictions on access to personal information contained in public records"
• "The impact, including costs, on legitimate businesses, law enforcement, legal community, government agencies, and others of access restrictions placed on personal information contained in public records"
• "The impact of protecting the disclosure of personal information contained in public records through the sealing of documents by court rule"
• "Electronic, Internet and bulk access to personal information contained in public records"
• "Current and potential future misuse, fraud, harassment, and identify theft prevention and detection efforts, including programs to educate the public on ways to avoid becoming victims, as well as, procedures to streamline recovery"
• "Existing criminal and civil penalties for misuse of personal information contained in public records and an examination of whether those penalties should be increased as a deterrent."

The committee is to issue a report within 12 months after appointment. Members are not compensated.

Chillinsky was appointed to the Ohio committee for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor, replacing Jarling Ho, who resigned. Mr. Chillinsky has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Business Administration from Wittenberg University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Dayton. He is the director of content and business development for LexisNexis.