What's happening
This bill prohibits organizations and government agencies in New York from using social security numbers for identification purposes.
Why it matters
Significantly reduces risk of identity theft. by preventing organizations and government agencies from exposing or misusing social security numbers, which are prime targets for fraud.
Mandates stricter privacy safeguards. for both public and private sector entities, requiring them to revise their identification and record-keeping practices to avoid using social security numbers except where explicitly required by law.
Applies broadly to nearly all organizations operating in New York,. including businesses, nonprofits, and government units, meaning widespread operational changes and increased accountability for how personal data is handled.
Limits the use of social security numbers in digital and physical communications,. such as prohibiting their inclusion on mailed documents and online platforms, unless required by state or federal law, directly impacting how individuals interact with service providers.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Stop SSN ID Use
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4968
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 3, 2017
Introduced by Sen. DIAZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting the use of social security numbers from being used as identification for individuals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The civil rights law is amended by adding a new section 50-f to read as follows:
§ 50-f. Prohibition on the use of social security numbers as identification. 1. No organization or governmental agency shall use an individual's social security number in any manner for identification purposes, including:
(a) publicly posting or publicly displaying in any manner an individual's social security number;
(b) printing an individual's social security number on any card required for the individual to access products or services provided by the organization or agency;
(c) requiring an individual to use or transmit his or her social security number to access an internet web site; and
(d) printing an individual's social security number on any materials that are mailed to the individual, unless state or federal law otherwise requires the social security number to be on the document to be mailed.
2. For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Governmental agency" means any agency or unit of the state and any political subdivision thereof.
(b) "Organization" shall mean any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, not-for-profit organization, partnership, affiliate or any other commercial entity located or doing business in the state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07285-01-7
S. 4968 2
(c) "Publicly posting" or "publicly displaying" means to intentionally communicate or otherwise make available to the general public.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting the use of social security numbers from being used as identification for individuals
Purpose or general idea of bill
Prohibits the use of social security numbers for identification purposes.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Amends the Civil Rights Law by adding a new section 50-f. Prohibits the use of social security numbers by any organization or governmental agency as a form of identification for any purpose including publicly posting or displaying an individual's social security number, printing the social security number on any card required to access products or services, requiring the social security number to access a website, and printing an individual's number on any printed materials mailed to the individual.
Section 2. Effective Date.
Existing law
None.
Justification
This legislation is a response to the federal Welfare Reform Act approved by Congress in 1997, specifically the elimination of driver's licenses of all New York immigrants unable to prove that they have legal authority to be in the United States. For the thousands of immigrants who received licenses before a social security card was required, the loss of a license will cause a loss of livelihood. Immigration status may or may not impact whether or not someone is a safe driver. This is a public safety issue since forcing immigrants to produce a social security number in order to receive a license who are unable to do so, may have the unintended effect of putting unlicensed, uninsured motorists on the roads. This legislation will hopefully encourage immigrants to obtain driver's licenses legally, instead of choosing to operate a motor vehicle without a license.
Prior legislative history
2016: S.272 -REFERRED TO CODES 2015: S.272 -REFERRED TO CODES 2014: S.264 - Referred to Codes/A.5396 - Referred to Governmental Oper- ations 2013: S.264 - Referred to Codes/A.5396 - Referred to Governmental Oper- ations 2012: S.304 Referred to Consumer Protection/A.2830 - Referred to Govern- mental Operations 2011: S.304- Discharged from Codes and Committed to Consumer Protection/A.2830 - Referred to Governmental Operations 2009-10: S.2180 - Referred to Codes/A.308 - Enacting Clause Stricken/A.10563 - Referred to Governmental Operations 2007-08: A.1683 - Referred to Governmental Operations 2006: S.7163 - Referred to Codes/A.3910 - Referred to Governmental Operations 2005: A.3910 - Referred to Governmental Operations
Fiscal implications
To be determined. EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect 180 days after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.