Oklahoma State Senate
Communications Division
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105

For Immediate Release: April 3, 2006

Senator Jolley Praises Passage of Social Security Number Protection Measure

Senator Clark Jolley on Monday praised the Senate's unanimous passage of a measure that would prohibit public utilities from distributing the social security numbers of their customers.

Jolley noted public utilities are currently forced to release social security numbers when requested, adding that a recent local newscast indicated they had obtained the social security number of a House member by simply requesting the information.

"This represents yet another example of the social security number being abused and utilized for the purpose of personal identification, which is not the original intent," said Jolley (R-Edmond). "This legislation will prevent this violation of privacy from occurring in the future."

Jolley said it was important to note this legislation would not affect private entities that are under no such legal obligation to release information.

"The legislature has taken a number of steps to protect the privacy of Oklahoma residents this session, and the passage of this measure marks another important advancement in restoring protections against identity theft," Jolley said.

For more information contact:
Senator Jolley's Office - (405) 521-5622