LANSING - The Intergovernmental, Urban and Regional Affairs Committee today passed a plan by State Representative Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga) that would prohibit personal information, such as Social Security numbers, from appearing on certain legal documents. The plan now goes to the House for a full vote.
"Identity theft is a growing problem in today's society, and it is important that we protect our residents from this serious and potentially devastating crime," Byrum said. "My plan will ensure the integrity of our legal system while protecting our citizens' vital information in this digital world. Instead of private information being available to anyone via court records, it would be included on a separate document not available to the public."
Byrum's package of bills will:
- Prohibit personal identifying information from appearing on a court or settlement for a divorce or legal separation; paternity of a child; and child support documents.
- Require that when an eligible domestic relation order is sent to a retirement system with the Social Security numbers of the recipients, the numbers shall be located on an attached paper that will not be filed by the court.
"Currently, state law requires public court orders to list the name, last known address and Social Security number of the individuals named in the court order," Byrum said. "As more of these records go online, it is more important than ever to protect a person's sensitive information, especially their Social Security numbers. As I'm fighting to create jobs and get Michigan's economy back on track, we need to make sure our residents are protected. I urge my colleagues to take action on this plan."