Personal information of Maryland residents collected by state agencies lacks adequate security, based on testimony offered yesterday to the State Task Force to Study Identity Theft. Many state agencies collect Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, tax information, and other personal information of Maryland residents in order to administer state or federal programs. However, testimony by representatives of eight major state agencies showed little consistency in measures to secure residents’ personal information, lax central oversight of agency procedures, and weak penalties for state employees who improperly use personal information.

The Maryland Chamber had unsuccessfully requested state legislators to include state and local governments in security breach protection legislation that was enacted in 2007, citing government agencies as a frequent source of privacy data breaches. Future hearings of the Task Force may build momentum for stricter oversight of state agency practices. Contact Ron Wineholt for further information at rwineholt@mdchamber.org.