ALASKA GOVERNMENT TRYING TO PASS BILLS THAT AIM TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFTS adn.com alaska : Bills aim to prevent identity thefts RASCALS: Bipartisan legislation would protect the unwary from the unlawful.
By RICHARD RICHTMYERAnchorage Daily News
Published: January 24, 2006 Last Modified: January 24, 2006 at 02:26 AM

JUNEAU -- Lawmakers from both parties are trying to pass legislation that would help prevent identity theft, after security breaches compromised personal data for millions of consumers nationwide in 2005.

They aim to require companies and government agencies that keep and traffic in personal information -- such as names, addresses and Social Security numbers -- to notify consumers when that information might have fallen into the hands of identity thieves. Such thieves could use it to fraudulently borrow money or buy products in the victim's name.

They also want to give consumers more control over who can access their credit reports.
Republicans and Democrats in the Alaska House and Senate last year introduced several identity-theft protection bills after ChoicePoint Inc., a consumer data company, announced that identity thieves had snatched personal information -- including names, addresses and Social Security numbers -- on 145,000 consumers, including 251 Alaskans.

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