Calling for Reenactment of H.4806, Security Breach Bill

AARP Massachusetts and MASSPIRG urge the legislature to accept Governor Baker’s amendments and reenact House Bill No. 4806, An Act Relative to Consumer Protection from Security Breaches, without delay. If passed, this bill will provide consumers with important consumer protections. It was passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. The bill enables consumers to safeguard their personal financial information by allowing them to “freeze” and “thaw” their credit files for free -- preventing thieves from opening new credit accounts in their names. The bill also requires that credit bureaus and other companies give consumers free credit monitoring services after a data breach. Additionally, the bill enhances some important consumer notices.   Last year, identity thieves stole more than $17 billion dollars from American consumers – and that number is growing. This measure, if passed, will help consumers protect themselves when companies and credit bureaus fail to safeguard our personal information. Key Provisions in the Act Relative to Consumer Protection from Security Breaches: attached as report.