Copyright© 2000 by School Services of California, Inc.

Volume 13                    For Publication Date: August 18, 2000                   No. 18

By the Way . . .


Senate Committee Kills Bill Restricting Use of Social Security Numbers. A bill intended to curb identity theft by limiting the use of Social Security numbers and allowing consumers to freeze their credit reports was killed in the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. The bill needed eight votes to pass the committee, but received only two "aye" votes. The measure, SB 1767, by Senator Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach) would have required banks, colleges, health insurers and others to eliminate the practice of printing Social Security numbers on identification cards, or on documents mailed to individuals.

If this bill had been approved it would have severely hampered the use of Social Security numbers by community colleges for student identification purposes. See the August 4, 2000 Update article, "Community Colleges May be Barred From Using Student Social Security Numbers," page 167.