Fergie's Tech Blog

Texas House Votes to Allow Release of Social Security Numbers

This is just insane, and -- according the Texas AG -- illegal.

A "...Social Security number is not confidential?" Idiocy.

Someone ins Texas needs to kill this bill before it gets an real serious consideration.

An AP newswire article, via The Houston Chronicle, reports that:

The state House approved a measure Monday that would allow county and district clerks to release Social Security numbers under the Texas Public Information Act, despite an opinion to the contrary last month from the Texas attorney general.

The bill by Rep. Jim Keffer, an Eastland Republican, would change existing law to declare that a Social Security number is not confidential.

It states that county or district clerks can disclose those numbers contained in information held by their offices without being subjected to civil or criminal liability. The measure also would require the public official to establish a procedure for redacting a Social Security number if a person requests it.

posted by Fergie @ 3/06/2007 10:20:00 AM