What's happening
This bill prohibits consumer reporting agencies from requesting or requiring a copy of a consumer's social security card.
Why it matters
Reduces identity theft risks. By prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from requesting or requiring copies of consumers’ Social Security cards, the bill aims to minimize opportunities for sensitive documents to be lost, mishandled, or stolen, enhancing personal data security.
Limits document burden on consumers. Consumers would no longer be pressured to provide their physical Social Security cards to access credit reports or other services, making the identification process less cumbersome and reducing the likelihood of document loss.
Clarifies acceptable identification. The bill still allows agencies to request Social Security numbers for identification, maintaining their ability to verify identities while setting a stricter boundary on the types of proof that can be demanded.
Aligns with privacy trends. The legislation reflects growing concerns around data privacy and the need to limit over-collection of highly sensitive documents, potentially setting a precedent for similar protections in other sectors or states.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Credit Report ID Requests
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
892
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from requiring or requesting certain consumer information
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (t) of section 380-a of the general business law, as added by chapter 441 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
(1) a social security number [or a copy of a social security card issued by the social security administration];
§ 2. Section 380-v of the general business law, as relettered by chapter 441 of the laws of 2014, is relettered section 380-w and a new section 380-v is added to read as follows:
§ 380-v. Limitations on requests for identifying documentation. Consumer reporting agencies shall not require or request a copy of a consumer's social security card. For the purposes of proper identification of a consumer, a consumer reporting agency may request or require such consumer's social security number.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02245-01-5
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from requiring or requesting certain consum- er information
Purpose
To improve consumer protection against fraud and misuse of consumer confidential information. This bill will cease the practice of false consumer reporting agencies requesting confidential information such as a copy of a social security card. This bill will deny consumer reporting agencies from requesting a copy of a consumer's social security card. For the purposes of proper identification consumer reporting agencies may request a social security number.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 provides what is acceptable as sufficient proof of identifica- tion.
Section 2 amends section 380-v of the general business law and re-let- ters it to section 380-w while also adding a new section 380-v as follows: Section 380-v puts limitations on requests for identifying documentation.
Section 3 sets the effective to be on the ninetieth day after it shall become a law.
Justification
In New York State, identity theft has increased tremendously between 2015 and 2023. In 2015, debt collection complaints of identity theft were the top complaint for the first time in sixteen years. In 2015 alone, in the United States, 15.3 billion dollars were stolen from 13.1 million people and in 2016, 16 billion dollars were stolen from 15.4 million people. Identity theft skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reached about 1.4 million complaints for the year 2021. Identity theft and misuse of identification documents such as social security cards are an increasing detrimental problem that needs to be confronted immediately. The most common type of identity theft is theft of govern- ment documents. This bill will cease consumer reporting agencies from requesting copies of social security cards, therefore putting a blockade in front of false agencies attempting to commit fraud. This bill will inevitably protect millions of people from falling victim to identity theft and fraud.
Legislative history
S.464 of 2023-24; Referred to consumer protection;
S.636 of 2022, referred to consumer protection;
S.636 of 2021, referred to consumer protection;
S.1699 of 2020, referred to consumer protection; S.1699 of 2019, referred to consumer protection;
S.8427of2018;referred to consumer protection
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the nineteenth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.