Friday, February 10, 2012

Feinstein Introduces Data Security Bills

January 7, 2009

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Tuesday introduced a pair of data security bills -- one that would require businesses to notify consumers in the event of a security breach and another, co-sponsored by Sens. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, would ban the sale or display of an individual's Social Security number without his or her consent. The legislation, which she also offered in the 110th Congress, was part of a package of "first day" bills she sponsored as members returned to Capitol Hill, according to a release.

Specifically, her breach bill would require a federal agency or business entity to quickly notify an individual of a security breach involving personal data and would require notice to the Secret Service if records of more than 10,000 individuals are obtained or if the database breached contains more than a million entries, is owned by the federal government, or involves national security or law enforcement. The Social Security measure would prohibit federal, state and local governments from displaying the numbers on records posted online or from printing them on government checks. It would also place limits on when businesses can ask customers for their Social Security numbers.

Join the Discussion

The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.

Comments powered by Disqus

 

Archives

Monthly Archives

Categories

Recent Posts

Recent Comments


Contributors

Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.


Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.