Legislation

Homeland Security, Financial Privacy, and Identity Theft Laws

IDENTITY THEFT (Source: www.ncsl.org)

Identity documents and systems provide information about a person that can be used to tell who that person is. In the United States, drivers' licenses, issued by individual states, are the most commonly issued cards used for personal identification by government and private entities. Other examples include cards issued to identify legal immigrants, deliver benefits, and secure access to facilities or services.

Information about kinds of identification systems, authentication, verification, security and privacy will be made available through these web pages. (Source: www.ncsl.org)

Real ID Act of 2005 Summary Table President Bush signed into law the REAL ID Act of 2005. This NCSL table summarizes the Title II of the Act relating to driver's licenses and personal ID cards.

Identification Security: Technology and Policy Issues: The ID Security FSL Partners Project report examines how technological advances and sound public policies can provide secure ways to verify individual identity and help ensure public safety and a sound economy. Buy the report here.

Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards: This report summarizes 2004 state legislative activity regarding drivers license policy including lawful presence issues, licensing illegal immigrants and document integrity concerns.

Foiling ID Thieves: Identity theft is on the rise, and states are looking for ways to secure their citizens' vital records. From State Legislatures magazine.

Protecting Social Security Numbers: Easy access to SSNs has contributed to their use in identity crimes. Thirty-eight (38) states have introduced legislation aimed at this problem in 2006. (2/18/2006)

2006 Security Breach Legislation: Twenty-two states passed legislation to address security breaches in 2005; at least 13 states have introduced bills in 2006. (2/18/2006)

Credit Card Skimming Laws: Credit card skimmers can collect credit card numbers to be used for fraud. NCSL is tracking state legislation on skimming. (1/31/2006)

Radio Frequency ID Tags: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are like a next-generation bar code. Legislators in at least 12 states are looking at privacy implications of RFID. (9/17/2005)