Let’s talk data breaches
Recent widespread data breaches at major companies like Equifax and Uber have huge implications for our 20 million residents. Florida has the second highest number of identity theft complaints per capita with Miami, Naples, Tallahassee, and Orlando in the top 10 metro areas for these complaints. It can happen to anyone. Florida law allows credit reporting agencies to charge a fee of up to $10 to freeze credit reports, and data breach victims are required to submit paperwork to prove their identity is in jeopardy to avoid paying the fee. No one should have to jump through hoops to get a fee waived. This week Commissioner Adam Putnam, Sen. Jeff Brandes and Rep. Shawn Harrison stood with me to urge lawmakers to eliminate the credit report freeze fee in Florida. Four states (Indiana, South Carolina, Maine, North Carolina) do not charge this fee and we want to add Florida to that list this year. Sincerely,
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At a joint press conference on Wednesday, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Adam H. Putnam along with Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) and Rep. Shawn Harrison (R-Tampa) urged lawmakers to eliminate the credit report freeze fee during the 2018 Legislative Session. Senate Bill 1302, sponsored by Sen. Brandes, and House Bill 953, sponsored by Rep. Harrison, aim to make it easier for Floridians to protect themselves from fraud. HB 953 passed unanimously out of its first committee, House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, on Wednesday.
