Governor Signs New Laws To Protect New Yorkers Against Identity Theft

Governor George E. Pataki announced today that he signed three measures into law that will further protect New York's consumers and their privacy. These bills establish the Consumer Communication Records Privacy Act, place limits on the use and disclosure of Social Security account numbers, and further clarify and define what is considered a computer crime.

“These important new laws are yet another step towards ensuring that New York consumers do not fall victim to identity theft,” Governor Pataki said. “As criminals continue to come up with new schemes to steal consumer's personal information, we must enact stronger laws that ensure the safety and privacy of our consumers and protect them from identity theft. These three laws address the needs of our consumers and their families, while continuing to demonstrate that New York remains a leader in the fight against identity theft."

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said, “The Senate has always made it a priority to protect consumers from identity theft and do everything we can to strengthen and update our laws to protect people's personal information from theft and abuse. With these three new laws, sponsored by Senators Charles Fuschillo, Tom Morahan and Jim Wright, we are strengthening and updating our laws to further protect consumers.” Read more at ny.gov