3.0.0 2742 2023-01-11T13:25:43Z 2023-01-11T13:25:43Z Senate S S 2014-07-31 113 ssfi00 Finance Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2014-07-31T20:22:01Z 2014-07-31 ssfi00 Finance Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. IntroReferral 2014-07-31 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress S000148 Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] Charles Schumer D NY E. N N000032 Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL] CLARENCE NELSON D FL WILLIAM 2014-07-31 True B001265 Sen. Begich, Mark [D-AK] Mark Begich D AK 2014-07-31 True M001111 Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] Patty Murray D WA 2014-09-08 False C001035 Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] Susan Collins R ME M. 2014-09-15 False M000702 Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] BARBARA MIKULSKI D MD ANN 2014-11-12 False Social Welfare Bank accounts, deposits, capital Civil actions and liability Computer security and identity theft Congressional oversight Executive agency funding and structure Fraud offenses and financial crimes Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media Medicare Public participation and lobbying Right of privacy Social Security Administration Social security and elderly assistance User charges and fees Social Welfare 00 2014-07-31 Introduced in Senate 2014-09-22T21:04:45Z Improving Access to Social Security Services Act - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit the Commissioner of Social Security from imposing any reduction in public access on a Social Security Administration field or hearing office without a public comment period meeting specified deadlines, including at least one public hearing.

Requires each field office to provide services necessary for: (1) Social Security number printout services until August 1, 2015, and (2) benefit verification letter services until October 1, 2015.

Directs the Commissioner to conduct an outreach campaign to notify Social Security beneficiaries and other interested parties of plans to phase out such services and their online availability.

Requires each office that ceases to offer, or reduces the availability of, such services to give notice to key local organizations whose members or patrons may be affected by such cessation or reduction.

Requires the Commissioner to establish a system providing live-chat assistance for online users of the Administration website.

Directs the Commissioner to establish: (1) a process whereby an eligible individual may apply for a reduction or waiver of Administration service fees, and (2) an automated notification system to alert Social Security beneficiaries of changes made to their information for direct deposit to a financial institution of their Social Security benefits.

Prohibits any person from displaying another individual's Social Security number to the general public without the individual's affirmatively expressed consent, or selling or purchasing that number without such consent.

Directs the Attorney General to study all uses of Social Security numbers permitted, required, authorized, or excepted under any federal law.

Prohibits any person from obtaining an individual's Social Security number for purposes of locating or identifying the individual with the intent to physically injure, harm, or use the identity of the individual for any illegal purpose.

Amends SSA title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) to prescribe criminal sanctions for the knowing and willful display, sale, or purchase of a Social Security number without meeting the prerequisites for consent.

Extends to any electronic communication the prohibitions, subject to criminal penalties, relating to references to Social Security or Medicare.

Authorizes a private cause of action in state court for injunctive relief or up to $500 in actual damages by any individual aggrieved by a violation of this Act or any of its amendments.

Subjects any person the Attorney General determines has violated any provisions of this Act to a civil penalty of up to: (1) $5,000 for each violation, and (2) $50,000 if the violation has occurred with such frequency as to constitute a general business practice.

]]> Improving Access to Social Security Services Act Display Title Improving Access to Social Security Services Act Official Title as Introduced A bill to provide for public notice and input prior to the closure, consolidation, or public access limitation of field or hearing offices of the Social Security Administration, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Improving Access to Social Security Services Act Introduced in Senate 2014-07-31T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-113s2742is/xml/BILLS-113s2742is.xml 2014-07-31 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.