HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 254        FILED ON: 1/8/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1413

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act further regulating the disclosure and use of social security numbers..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 266 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:—Section 148. (a) No person shall require the disclosure or use of the social security number of any individual, unless expressly authorized by state or federal law, the citation of which shall be specified to the individual at the time of the disclosure or use.

Nothing contained herein shall prohibit the voluntary disclosure or use of the social security number of an individual. A violation of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of $50. Each violation shall constitute a separate offense. (b) Any person who requires the disclosure or use of the social security number of an individual in violation of the provisions of subsection (a) and as a condition precedent to entering into a contract of doing business with such individual shall be punished by a fine of $1,000. Each violation shall constitute a separate offense. 

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section one of this act, any lawful use of a social security number occurring on the effective date of this act may continue until January 1, 2010.