The Assembly Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to safeguard the privacy of New Jersey residents by limiting the collection and sharing of personal information.
Bill A6309, sponsored by Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, would establish limits for how and when state and local government entities, as well as health care facilities, gather and retain that information.
The bill, known as the “Privacy Protection Act,” would recognize that the unrestricted, unauthorized and undisclosed sharing of an individual’s personal information may deter people from seeking the services they need and would limit the instances in which sensitive data can be collected.
Under the bill, personal information, including citizenship status, place of birth, Social Security number or taxpayer ID, would only be solicited when the information is necessary to assess eligibility for, or to administer, a public service, benefit or program.
That information would remain confidential and not be kept as public record, with limited exceptions. The bill also limits the amount of time the sensitive data is stored, providing further protection to an individual’s privacy.
“You should be able to apply to government programs and services and seek health care treatment without fear that your sensitive information is being shared,” said Assemblywoman Quijano (D-Union).
“This bill would safeguard the privacy of individuals who seek medical care and other public services, ensuring that when information, such as Social Security numbers or citizenship status, is collected, it will be protected.”
The bill would not prevent sharing of records when the individual has provided written consent — which must be clear, voluntary, revocable and provided in the individual’s preferred language — or in limited legal circumstances.
The same restrictions and exemptions would apply to the selling or sharing of automated license plate recognition data.
Assemblywoman Ellen Park, chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, also sponsored the bill.
