Social Security Number Privacy (H 7345, S 2224)

For over thirty years, a federal statute has made it unlawful (though admittedly with many exceptions) for any “federal, state or local government agency to deny to any individual any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual’s refusal to disclose his or her social security number.” Incredibly, in a feat of legal legerdemain, some courts have recently ruled that, despite the clear language of the provision, the restriction applies only to federal agencies. A version of the federal law was introduced that would explicitly require state and municipal agencies in Rhode Island to abide by that statute‘s important privacy protections. The General Assembly took no action on the bill last year after state agencies decried the restriction.