§ 6-48-8 - Social security number protection – Effective January 1, 2008.
SECTION 6-48-8
§ 6-48-8 Social security number protection– Effective January 1, 2008. – (a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section a person or entity,including a state or local agency, may not do any of the following:
(1) Intentionally communicate or otherwise make available tothe general public an individual's social security number;
(2) Print an individual's social security number on any cardrequired for the individual to access products or services provided by theperson or entity;
(3) Require an individual to transmit his or her socialsecurity number over the Internet, unless the connection is secure or thesocial security number is encrypted;
(4) Require an individual to use his or her social securitynumber to access an Internet Website, unless a password or unique personalidentification number or other authentication device is also required to accessthe Internet Website; and
(5) Print an individual's social security number on anymaterials that are mailed to the individual, unless state or federal lawrequires the social security number to be on the document to be mailed.
Notwithstanding this paragraph, social security numbers maybe included in applications and forms sent by mail, including documents sent aspart of an application or enrollment process, or to establish, amend orterminate an account, contract or policy, or to confirm the accuracy of thesocial security number. A social security number that is permitted to be mailedunder this section may not be printed, in whole or in part, on a postcard orother mailer not requiring an envelope, or visible on the envelope or withoutthe envelope having been opened.
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to documentsthat are recorded or required to be open to the public pursuant to the RhodeIsland general laws chapter 42-46. This section does not apply to records thatare by statute or case law required to be made available to the public byentities provided for in the Rhode Island Constitution.
(c) This section does not prevent the collection, use, orrelease of a social security number as required by state or federal law or theuse of a social security number for internal verification or administrativepurposes.
(d) The penalties for violating this section shall be:
(1) Any person who violates this section is responsible forthe payment of a civil fine of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000).
(2) A person who knowingly violates this section is guilty ofa misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, ora fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.