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FCPC ALERT #2007-2: General Assembly wobbles on closing SSN privacy loophole!
www.FairfaxCountyPrivacyCouncil.org
Originally Published on 25 January 2007
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This message is intended for members of the Fairfax County Privacy Council, and anyone else who might be interested in advancing privacy in Virginia. Maximum dissemination of this message is encouraged!

Privacy Notice: All communication from the Fairfax Privacy Council is sent using blind carbon copy ("BCC") format for your security and privacy.

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The 2007 VA General Assembly is having trouble understanding SSN privacy
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The VA Freedom of Informtaion Act creates a presumption of open public access to your SSN held in any government record in VA.
See “SSN loophole,” The Daily Press, Letter, 30 DEC 2006 at http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/dp-14016sy0dec30,0,3714737.story.

Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Franconia) is trying to close this dangerous privacy loophole with his HB 2821, but he needs your help to get the bill out of committee – you see, the Washington DC data aggregator lobby somehow convinced the FOIA sub-committee into recommending "studying" the bill for another year - and letting government spray out your SSN to anyone who asks for it.

But HB 2821 will be heard by the full House of Delegates General Laws FOIA Sub-committee on Thursday afternoon (25 JAN 07).

Action Item: Send an email to this committee RIGHT NOW:

SUBJECT: Close the SSN loophole now - HB 2821 is ready for prime time!

Dear Delegate Reid and members of the House of Delegates General Laws Committee:

Please SUPPORT HB 2821 AS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED by Delegate Sickles to create a FULL strength Social Security Number exemption in the VA Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The last 4 digits of an SSN are the most sensitive part of my SSN - do NOT vote to put my "last 4" at risk!

I am very surprised that VA does not have an SSN exemption to FOIA already - SSNs have long been exempt from Federal FOIA and virtually every state FOIA.

The lack of an SSN exemption in the VA FOIA particularly puts gun owners and sportsmen at risk because of federal mandates that SSNs be disclosed in hunting, fishing, trapping, and boating licensing and related records - all of which are then subject to FOIA without SSN redaction!

HB 2821 is long overdue. Studying this bill is NOT an option.

I want my SSN privacy NOW!

Please let me know what you are going to do.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS

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Questions, or to be added/deleted from future Alerts? Contact Mike Stollenwerk atFCPCChairman@cox.net.