[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1263 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1263

    To protect and enhance consumer privacy, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2005

 Mr. Stearns introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To protect and enhance consumer privacy, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Consumer Privacy Protection Act of 
2005''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
    TITLE I--PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE

Sec. 101. Privacy notices to consumers.
Sec. 102. Privacy policy statements.
Sec. 103. Consumer opportunity to limit sale or disclosure of 
                            information.
Sec. 104. Consumer opportunity to limit other information practices.
Sec. 105. Information security obligations.
Sec. 106. Self-regulatory programs.
Sec. 107. Enforcement.
Sec. 108. No private right of action.
Sec. 109. Effect on other laws.
Sec. 110. Effective date.
            TITLE II--IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION AND REMEDIES

Sec. 201. Facilitating electronic identity theft affidavits.
Sec. 202. Promoting use of common identity theft affidavit.
Sec. 203. Timely resolution of identity theft disputes.
Sec. 204. Improvements to consumer clearinghouse.
Sec. 205. Improved identity theft data.
Sec. 206. Change of address protections.
Sec. 207. Effective date.
                  TITLE III--INTERNATIONAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Study by Comptroller General.
Sec. 302. Remediation of discriminatory impact by Secretary of 
                            Commerce.
Sec. 303. Effect of nonremediation.
Sec. 304. Harmonization of international privacy laws, regulations, and 
                            agreements.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``Commission'' means the Federal Trade 
        Commission.
            (2) The term ``consumer'' means an individual acting in the 
        individual's personal, family, or household capacity.
            (3)(A) The term ``data collection organization'' means an 
        entity (or an agent or affiliate of the entity) that collects 
        (by any means, through any medium), sells, discloses for 
        consideration, or uses personally identifiable information of 
        the consumer.
            (B) Such term does not include--
                    (i) a governmental agency;
                    (ii) a not-for-profit entity, to the extent that 
                personally identifiable information is not used for a 
                commercial purpose;
                    (iii) an entity that--
                            (I) has annual gross revenue under 
                        $1,000,000 (based on the value of such amount 
                        in fiscal year 2000, adjusted for current 
                        dollars);
                            (II) has fewer than 25 employees;
                            (III) collects or uses personally 
                        identifiable information from fewer than 1,000 
                        consumers for a purpose unrelated to a 
                        transaction with the consumer;
                            (IV) does not process personally 
                        identifiable information of consumers; and
                            (V) does not sell or disclose for 
                        consideration such information to another 
                        person;
                    (iv) a provider of professional services, or any 
                affiliate thereof, to the extent that such provider is 
                obligated by rules of professional ethics, or by 
                applicable law or regulation, not to voluntarily 
                disclose confidential client information without the 
                consent of the client; or
                    (v) a data processing outsourcing entity.
            (4)(A) The term ``personally identifiable information'', 
        with respect to a data collection organization means 
        individually identifiable information relating to a living 
        individual who can be identified from that information.
            (B) Such term includes--
                    (i) first and last name, whether given at birth or 
                adoption, assumed, or legally changed;
                    (ii) home or other physical address including 
                street name and name of a city or town;
                    (iii) electronic mail address;
                    (iv) telephone number;
                    (v) social security number; or
                    (vi) any other unique identifying information that 
                a data collector and processor collects and combines 
                with any information described in the preceding 
                subparagraphs of this paragraph.
            (C) Such term does not include--
                    (i) anonymous or aggregate data, or any other 
                information that does not identify a unique living 
                individual;
                    (ii) information about a consumer inferred from 
                data maintained about a consumer; or
                    (iii) information about a consumer obtained from a 
                public record.
            (5) The term ``affiliate'' means any company that controls, 
        is controlled by, or is under common control with another 
        company.
            (6) The term ``information-sharing affiliate'' means any 
        affiliate that is under common control with a data collection 
        organization, and is contractually obligated to comply with the 
        practices enumerated under the privacy policy statement of the 
        organization required under section 102.
            (7) The term ``data processing outsourcing entity'' means, 
        with respect to a data collection organization, a non-
        affiliated entity that--
                    (A) provides information technology processing, Web 
                hosting, or telecommunications services to the data 
                collection organization;
                    (B) is contractually obligated to comply with 
                security controls specified by the data collection 
                organization; and
                    (C) has no right to use the data collection 
                organization's personally identifiable information 
                other than for performing data processing outsourcing 
                services for the data collection organization or as 
                required by law.
            (8) The term ``process'', with respect to personally 
        identifiable information, means any value-added activity 
        performed on data by automated means.
            (9) The term ``transaction'' means an interaction between a 
        consumer and a data collection organization resulting in--
                    (A) any use of information that is necessary to 
                complete the interaction in the course of which 
                information is collected, or to maintain the 
                provisioning of a good or service requested by the 
                consumer, including use--
                            (i) to approve, guarantee, process, 
                        administer, complete, enforce, provide, or 
                        market a product, service, account, benefit, 
                        transaction, or payment method that is 
                        requested or approved by the consumer; or
                            (ii) to deliver goods, services, funds, or 
                        other consideration to, or on behalf of, the 
                        consumer;
                    (B) any disclosure of information that is necessary 
                for the consumer to enforce any right of the consumer;
                    (C) any disclosure of information that is required 
                by law or by a court order; and
                    (D) any use of information to verify personally 
                identifiable information by the consumer, evaluate, 
                detect, or reduce the risk of fraud or other criminal 
                activity, or other risk-management activities.
            (10) The term ``display'' means intentionally communicating 
        or otherwise making available (on the Internet or in any other 
        manner) to another person.
            (11) The term ``public record'' means any item, collection, 
        or grouping of information about an individual that is 
        maintained by a Federal, State, or local government entity and 
        that is made available to the public.
            (12) The term ``purchase'' means providing, directly or 
        indirectly, anything of value in exchange for a good or 
        service.
            (13) The term ``State'' includes the several States, the 
        District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, 
        Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Freely Associated States, and any 
        other territory or possession of the United States.

    TITLE I--PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE

SEC. 101. PRIVACY NOTICES TO CONSUMERS.

    (a) Notice Required.--A data collection organization shall provide 
to a consumer a notice containing the information required under 
subsection (b) as follows:
            (1) Upon the first instance of collection from the consumer 
        of personally identifiable information, that may be used for a 
        purpose unrelated to the transaction, by a data collection 
        organization, the organization shall provide the notice at the 
        time personally identifiable information is collected.
            (2) Upon a material change in the organization's privacy 
        policy under section 102(a), the organization shall provide the 
        notice, not later than the first time after such change in 
        policy that the organization seeks to collect, sell, disclose 
        for consideration, or use personally identifiable information 
        to the extent practicable, to each consumer from whom the 
        organization has collected such information.
    (b) Form and Contents of Notice.--A notice required under 
subsection (a) shall be provided in a clear and conspicuous manner, be 
prominently displayed or explicitly stated to the consumer, and contain 
the following information:
            (1) A statement that the personal information collected by 
        the data collection organization may be used or disclosed for 
        purposes or transactions unrelated to that for which it was 
        collected, as described in the organization's privacy 
        statement.
            (2) A description of the manner in which the consumer may 
        obtain a privacy policy statement that meets the requirements 
        of section 102, which may include providing the consumer with 
        an Internet website, a hyperlink to such a website, or a toll-
        free telephone number from which such a statement may be 
        obtained. If the notice required under subsection (a) is 
        provided to the consumer by means of an Internet website, one 
        manner in which the consumer may obtain the privacy policy 
        statement must be by means of an Internet website.
            (3) If the notice is required under subsection (a)(2), a 
        statement that there has been a material change in the 
        organization's privacy policy.

SEC. 102. PRIVACY POLICY STATEMENTS.

    (a) Privacy Policy.--A data collection organization shall establish 
a privacy policy with respect to the collection, sale, disclosure for 
consideration, dissemination, use, and security of the personally 
identifiable information of consumers, the principal elements of which 
shall be embodied in a privacy policy statement (or statements) that 
meets the requirements of subsection (b).
    (b) Statement.--The statement (or statements) required under 
subsection (a) shall meet the following requirements:
            (1) The statement must be brief, concise, clear, and 
        conspicuous and written in plain language.
            (2) The statement must be accessible to all consumers of 
        the data collection organization (regardless of the means by 
        which a consumer conducts a transaction with the 
        organization)--
                    (A) at no charge to the consumer; and
                    (B) at the time the data collection organization 
                first collects personally identifiable information 
                about the consumer that may be used for a purpose 
                unrelated to a transaction with the consumer and 
                subsequently.
            (3) The statement must disclose only the following:
                    (A) The identity of each data collection 
                organization, or a description of each class or type of 
                data collection organization, that may collect or use 
                the information.
                    (B) The types of information that may be collected 
                or used.
                    (C) How the information may be used.
                    (D) Whether the consumer is required to provide the 
                information in order to do business with the data 
                collection organization.
                    (E) The extent to which the information is subject 
                to sale or disclosure for consideration to a data 
                collection organization that is not an information-
                sharing affiliate of the data collection organization 
                providing the statement, including--
                            (i) a clear and prominent statement of the 
                        fact that the information is subject to such 
                        sale or disclosure for consideration;
                            (ii) a description of each class or type of 
                        data collection organization to which the 
                        information may be sold or disclosed for 
                        consideration;
                            (iii) to the extent practicable, the 
                        purpose for which the information may be used; 
                        and
                            (iv) the types of information that may be 
                        sold or disclosed for consideration.
                    (F) Whether the information security practices of 
                the data collection organization meet the security 
                requirements of section 105 in order to prevent 
                unauthorized disclosure or release of personally 
                identifiable information.
    (c) Commission Facilitation.--The Commission shall take actions 
(including conducting industry-wide workshops) to facilitate the 
development of harmonized, universal wording or logo-based graphics in 
order to convey the contents of privacy policy statements required 
under this section.

SEC. 103. CONSUMER OPPORTUNITY TO LIMIT SALE OR DISCLOSURE OF 
              INFORMATION.

    (a) Preclusion of Sale or Disclosure.--
            (1) Requirement.--A data collection organization shall 
        provide to the consumer, without charge, the opportunity to 
        preclude any sale or disclosure for consideration of the 
        consumer's personally identifiable information, provided in a 
        particular data collection, that may be used for a purpose 
        other than a transaction with the consumer, to any data 
        collection organization that is not an information-sharing 
        affiliate of the data collection organization providing such 
        opportunity.
            (2) Duration.--A preclusion on sale or disclosure for 
        consideration of information established by a consumer under 
        this subsection shall remain in effect for 5 years or until the 
        consumer indicates otherwise, whichever occurs sooner. A data 
        collection organization may not seek reconsideration of a 
        consumer's preclusion of such sale or disclosure until at least 
        1 year after such preclusion has been imposed by the consumer.
    (b) Permission for Sale or Disclosure.--A data collection 
organization may provide the consumer an opportunity to permit the sale 
or disclosure described in subsection (a)(1) in exchange for a benefit 
to the consumer.
    (c) Accessibility.--The opportunity to preclude (or if offered, to 
permit) the sale or disclosure for consideration of information under 
this section must be both easy to access and use, and the notice of the 
opportunity to preclude must be clear and conspicuous.

SEC. 104. CONSUMER OPPORTUNITY TO LIMIT OTHER INFORMATION PRACTICES.

    If a data collection organization provides to a consumer the 
opportunity to limit other practices of the data collection 
organization with respect to a particular collection or use of 
personally identifiable information regarding the consumer, other than 
that required by section 103--
            (1) a notice and description of such opportunity must 
        appear in the privacy statement;
            (2) such opportunity must be easy to access and to use; and
            (3) any limitation exercised by the consumer pursuant to 
        such opportunity shall remain in effect, unless--
                    (A) the limitation is withdrawn by the consumer; or
                    (B) the data collection organization provides the 
                consumer at least 30 days notice before materially 
                changing the limitation or terminating its compliance 
                with the limitation.

SEC. 105. INFORMATION SECURITY OBLIGATIONS.

    (a) Information Security Policy.--
            (1) Implementation.--A data collection organization shall 
        prepare, revise as necessary, and implement an information 
        security policy that is applicable to the information security 
        practices and treatment of personally identifiable information 
        maintained by the data collection organization, that is 
        designed to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or release of 
        such information.
            (2) Management approval.--An information security policy 
        created pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be considered and 
        approved by the senior management officials of the data 
        collection organization.
            (3) Contents.--An information security policy required 
        under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) a process for taking corrective action pursuant 
                to subsection (b); and
                    (B) identifying an officer of the data collection 
                organization as the point of contact with 
                responsibility for information security issues for the 
                organization.
    (b) Corrective Actions.--
            (1) Information security advisories and action.--Except as 
        provided in paragraph (2), upon the issuance of an information 
        security advisory (as such term is defined in subsection (d)), 
        a data collection organization shall, within a reasonable 
        period of time after the issuance of such advisory and pursuant 
        to its information security policy, take appropriate action 
        reasonably necessary to mitigate against any vulnerability 
        identified in such advisory, including implementing any changes 
        to its security practices and the architecture, installation, 
        or implementation of its network or operating software 
        (including corrective patches) in response to such advisory.
            (2) Exceptions.--A data collection organization shall not 
        be required to take the action specified in an information 
        security advisory under paragraph (1) if such organization can, 
        in good faith, show that--
                    (A) the corrective action required would cause harm 
                to, or weaken, the organization's existing information 
                security for personally identifiable information or the 
                procedures or systems of the organization;
                    (B) the organization takes, or has taken, other 
                appropriate steps or corrective action to mitigate the 
                vulnerabilities and exposure risks identified in the 
                information security advisory; or
                    (C) the specified corrective action is not 
                necessary.
    (c) Effect of Release of Personally Identifiable Information.--If 
the security of a data collection organization has been compromised, 
resulting in the unauthorized release of a consumer's personally 
identifiable information, the data collection organization shall be 
presumed to be in violation of this section if such organization has 
failed to respond to an information security advisory in accordance 
with subsection (b)(1).
    (d) Definition.--As used in this section, the term ``information 
security advisory'' means an information security advisory issued by 
the Federal Computer Incident Response Center of the Department of 
Homeland Security, or its successor agency.

SEC. 106. SELF-REGULATORY PROGRAMS.

    (a) Self-Regulatory Program.--
            (1) Presumption of compliance.--The Commission shall 
        presume that a data collection organization is in compliance 
        with the provisions of sections 101 through 105 if that 
        organization--
                    (A) participates in a self-regulatory program 
                approved under subsection (b); and
                    (B) has been determined by a self-regulatory 
                program to be in compliance with the guidelines, 
                procedures, requirements, and restrictions of the 
                program (including a remedial process under subsection 
                (c)(7)).
            (2) Effect of willful noncompliance.--A data collection 
        organization that participates in a self-regulatory program 
        under this section shall not be liable for a civil penalty 
        arising out of a violation of any provision of sections 101 
        through 105 unless such violation results from willful 
        noncompliance with the guidelines, procedures, requirements, or 
        restrictions of the program.
    (b) Approval by Commission.--
            (1) Approval.--The Commission shall, within 90 days after 
        submission of an application for approval of a self-regulatory 
        program under this section (or of a material change in a 
        program previously approved by the Commission), approve such 
        program (or change) if the Commission finds that the program 
        (or change) complies with the requirements of subsection (c).
            (2) Form of application.--The Commission shall accept an 
        application for approval under paragraph (1) in any reasonable 
        form the applicant may submit.
            (3) Duration until renewal.--A self-regulatory program 
        approved by the Commission under paragraph (1) shall be 
        approved for a period of 5 years.
            (4) Revocation of approval.--The Commission may, after 
        notice and opportunity for a hearing, revoke approval granted 
        under paragraph (1), if the Commission finds that a self-
        regulatory program fails to meet the requirements of subsection 
        (c).
            (5) Judicial review.--Any order by the Commission denying 
        approval of a self-regulatory program shall be subject to 
        judicial review, as provided in section 706 of title 5, United 
        States Code.
    (c) Requirements of Self-Regulatory Program.--A self-regulatory 
program complies with the requirements of this subsection if the 
program provides each of the following:
            (1) Guidelines and procedures requiring a program 
        participant to provide substantially equivalent or greater 
        protections for consumers and their personally identifiable 
        information as are provided under sections 101 through 105.
            (2) Procedures and requirements to provide for--
                    (A) an initial review of a participant's privacy 
                statement and privacy policy, and subsequent review 
                whenever such statement or policy is substantively 
                changed, to determine whether the participant complies 
                with the self-regulatory program's guidelines;
                    (B) an initial self-review and self-certification 
                of a participant's privacy policy and practices to 
                ensure compliance with the guidelines, procedures, 
                requirements, and restrictions of the program 
                established under this subsection;
                    (C) subsequent periodic self-reviews and self-
                certifications, which shall occur at least annually, of 
                the participant's privacy policy and practices to 
                ensure continued compliance with such guidelines, 
                procedures, requirements, and restrictions;
                    (D) submission of self-reviews and self-
                certifications under this paragraph to any 
                administrator of the program; and
                    (E) random compliance testing of participants, 
                which may concentrate on selected compliance issues, if 
                the self-regulatory program conducts--
                            (i) a random compliance test with respect 
                        to each participant not less frequently than 
                        every 3 years;
                            (ii) a full compliance test in any case 
                        where non-compliance with any of the selected 
                        compliance issues is identified; and
                            (iii) full compliance tests of participants 
                        with a high number of complaints against them.
            (3) Procedures and requirements that ensure that a program 
        participant provides a process for resolving disputes with 
        consumers relating to the privacy policy and practices of the 
        participant. Such dispute resolution process--
                    (A) must be available without charge to a consumer;
                    (B) must be available at a cost to the participant 
                that is reasonable and does not discourage 
                participation by the participant in such process;
                    (C) must ensure that consumers are informed of how 
                to utilize the process;
                    (D) may include, as one choice among others, 
                binding arbitration; and
                    (E)(i) must be completed within 60 days after 
                submission of the dispute by the consumer; or
                    (ii) must be completed within 90 days after 
                submission of the dispute by the consumer, if the 
                participant--
                            (I) determines that additional time is 
                        required to obtain information to make an 
                        informed decision with respect to the dispute; 
                        and
                            (II) notifies the consumer and the self-
                        regulatory program that such additional time is 
                        required.
            (4) Provisions for the use by participants in the program 
        of a means (including the use of a seal) to represent the 
        participant's participation in the program.
            (5) With respect to any nonvoluntary suspension or 
        termination of participation in the program because of the 
        participant's failure to comply with the program, procedures or 
        requirements to provide for the following:
                    (A) Publication of notice and the reasons for any 
                such suspension or termination, except that no 
                personally identifiable information related to such 
                suspension or termination may be published.
                    (B) Notice to the Commission of any such 
                termination.
            (6) Requirements and restrictions that assure independence 
        with respect to program eligibility, compliance, and dispute 
        resolution mechanisms and decisions from improper interference 
        by management or ownership of the self-regulatory program 
        participant.
            (7) A process for a noncompliant participant to take timely 
        remedial action in order to come back into compliance with the 
        program before suspension or termination of participation in 
        the program.
    (d) Consumer Dispute Resolution.--
            (1) Self-regulatory dispute process.--If a consumer has a 
        dispute with a participant in a self-regulatory program under 
        this section or under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent that such dispute pertains to 
        the entity's privacy policy or practices required for 
        participation in the self-regulatory program, the consumer 
        shall initially seek resolution through the participant's 
        dispute resolution process (established in accordance with 
        subsection (c)(3)). The Commission shall promptly refer to the 
        participant involved any dispute submitted to the Commission 
        for which resolution has not been initially sought through such 
        process.
            (2) Resolution by commission.--A consumer may submit to the 
        Commission for resolution a dispute with a participant in a 
        self-regulatory program under this section, if the following 
        requirements are met:
                    (A) The dispute was initially submitted under 
                paragraph (1) for resolution through the participant's 
                dispute resolution process.
                    (B) The dispute submitted under paragraph (1) is 
                not resolved--
                            (i) within 60 days after submission of the 
                        dispute by the consumer; or
                            (ii) to the satisfaction of the consumer.
                    (C) Notice of the facts of the dispute is submitted 
                to the Commission not later than 30 days after the date 
                on which the consumer is notified of the resolution 
                through the participant's dispute resolution process.
                    (D) The consumer has not voluntarily accepted a 
                resolution of the dispute under paragraph (1).
                    (E) The dispute was not resolved through binding 
                arbitration.
            (3) Limitation.--Nothing in this Act shall prevent the 
        Commission from investigating compliance with this Act by a 
        participant in a self-regulatory organization based upon a 
        complaint from an individual or organization other than a 
        consumer with a dispute with such participant, or on its own 
        initiative, except that prior to instituting any such 
        investigation the Commission shall afford the self-regulatory 
        organization a reasonable opportunity to invoke its own 
        remedial procedures and assure compliance by the participant.
            (4) Clear and convincing evidence.--The presumption 
        established by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) may be overcome 
        by clear and convincing evidence of non-compliance.
    (e) Nonrelease of Certain Information.--The Commission may not 
compel a participant in a self-regulatory program approved under 
subsection (b) (or an administrator of such a program) to provide 
proprietary information or personally identifiable information of 
consumers to the Commission unless the Commission provides assurances 
that such information will not be released to the public.
    (f) Misrepresentation of Self-Regulatory Program Participation.--It 
is unlawful for a data collection organization to misrepresent that it 
is a participant in a self-regulatory program (including through any 
mechanism provided under subsection (c)(4)) when such organization is 
not, in fact, such a participant.
    (g) Exempted Entity Participation.--An entity that is not a data 
collection organization and that voluntarily participates in a self-
regulatory program under this section shall enjoy the rights and 
benefits provided under this section in any action or investigation 
under section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to 
the extent that such action or investigation pertains to the entity's 
privacy policy or practices required for participation in the self-
regulatory program.

SEC. 107. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Unfair or Deceptive Act or Practice.--A violation of any 
provision of this title by a data collection organization is an unfair 
or deceptive act or practice unlawful under section 5(a)(1) of the 
Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45(a)(1)), except that the 
amount of any civil penalty under such Act shall be doubled for a 
violation of this title, but may not exceed $500,000 for all related 
violations by a single violator (without respect to the number of 
consumers affected or the duration of the related violations).
    (b) Guidelines and Opinions.--In order to assist in compliance with 
this title, the Federal Trade Commission may promulgate regulations and 
interpretive rules under section 18 of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
(15 U.S.C. 57a), with respect to specific types of acts or practices 
that would, or would not, comply with this title.

SEC. 108. NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.

    This title may not be considered or construed to provide any 
private right of action. No private civil action relating to any act or 
practice governed under this title may be commenced or maintained in 
any State court or under State law (including a pendent State claim to 
an action under Federal law).

SEC. 109. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Qualified Exemption for Compliance With Other Federal Privacy 
Laws.--To the extent that personally identifiable information protected 
under this title is also protected under a provision of Federal privacy 
law described in subsection (c), a data collection organization that 
complies with the relevant provision of such other Federal privacy law 
shall be deemed to have complied with the corresponding provision of 
this title.
    (b) Protection of Other Federal Privacy Laws.--Nothing in this 
title may be construed to modify, limit, or supersede the operation of 
the Federal privacy laws described in subsection (c) or the provision 
of information permitted or required, expressly or by implication, by 
such laws, with respect to Federal rights and practices.
    (c) Other Federal Privacy Laws Described.--The provisions of law to 
which subsections (a) and (b) apply are the following:
            (1) Section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly 
        known as the Privacy Act of 1974).
            (2) The Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 
        3401 et seq.).
            (3) The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
            (4) The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692 
        et seq.).
            (5) The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 
        (15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.).
            (6) Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (15 
        U.S.C. 6801 et seq.).
            (7) The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 
        (Public Law 99-508).
            (8) The Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 (18 U.S.C. 
        2721 et seq.).
            (9) The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 
        (20 U.S.C. 1221 note, 1232g).
            (10) Section 445 of the General Education Provisions Act 
        (20 U.S.C. 1232h).
            (11) The Privacy Protection Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 2000aa 
        et seq.).
            (12) Section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
        U.S.C. 222) relating to the Customer Proprietary Network 
        Information.
            (13) The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 (47 U.S.C. 
        521 et seq.).
            (14) The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act 
        (47 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).
            (15) The Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Public Law 
        100-618).
            (16) The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (Public 
        Law 102-243).
            (17) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 
        Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191), as it relates to an entity 
        described in section 1172(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1320d-1(a)) or to activities regulated under section 
        1173 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2).
    (d) Preemption of State Privacy Laws.--This title preempts any 
statutory law, common law, rule, or regulation of a State, or a 
political subdivision of a State, to the extent such law, rule, or 
regulation relates to or affects the collection, use, sale, disclosure, 
retention, or dissemination of personally identifiable information in 
commerce. No State, or political subdivision of a State, may take any 
action to enforce this title.

SEC. 110. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This title shall apply with respect to personally identifiable 
information collected on or after the date that is 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act.

            TITLE II--IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION AND REMEDIES

SEC. 201. FACILITATING ELECTRONIC IDENTITY THEFT AFFIDAVITS.

    The Commission shall take such action as necessary to permit 
(including by electronic means) consumers that have a reasonable belief 
that they are a victim of identity theft--
            (1) to enter required consumer information in the 
        commission-developed document entitled ``Identity Theft 
        Affidavit''; and
            (2) to submit completed forms and other supplemental 
        information to the Commission and other entities.

SEC. 202. PROMOTING USE OF COMMON IDENTITY THEFT AFFIDAVIT.

    The Commission shall take such action as necessary to solicit the 
acceptance and acknowledgement of standardized Identity Theft Affidavit 
by entities that receive disputes regarding the unauthorized use of 
accounts of such entities from consumers that have reason to believe 
that they are victims of identity theft.

SEC. 203. TIMELY RESOLUTION OF IDENTITY THEFT DISPUTES.

    The Commission shall require entities that receive disputes 
regarding the unauthorized use of accounts of such entities from 
consumers that have reason to believe that they are victims of identity 
theft to conduct any necessary investigation and decide an outcome of a 
claim within 90 days from the date on which all necessary information 
to investigate the claim has been submitted to the entity.

SEC. 204. IMPROVEMENTS TO CONSUMER CLEARINGHOUSE.

    The Commission shall utilize the Identity Theft Clearinghouse to 
permit consumers that have a reasonable belief that they are victims of 
identity theft to submit any information relevant to such identity 
theft to the Clearinghouse (including by means of an Identity Theft 
Affidavit), so that such information may be transmitted by the 
Clearinghouse to appropriate entities for necessary protective action 
and to mitigate losses resulting from such identity theft.

SEC. 205. IMPROVED IDENTITY THEFT DATA.

    (a) In General.--The Commission shall--
            (1) establish a process to contact, not less than annually, 
        public and private entities that receive and process complaints 
        from consumers that have a reasonable belief that they are 
        victims of identity theft; and
            (2) obtain accurate data on the incidences and nature of 
        complaints from such entities.
    (b) Inclusion in Database.--Such information shall be made part of 
the Commission's Identity Theft Clearinghouse database.

SEC. 206. CHANGE OF ADDRESS PROTECTIONS.

    The Commission shall require appropriate entities to take 
reasonable steps to verify the accuracy of a consumer's address, 
including by confirming a consumer's change of address by sending a 
confirmation of such change to the old and the new address of the 
consumer.

SEC. 207. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This title shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act.

                  TITLE III--INTERNATIONAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. STUDY BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.

    The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study 
and issue a report analyzing the impact on the interstate and foreign 
commerce of the United States of information privacy laws, regulations, 
or agreements enacted, promulgated, or adopted by other nations, 
including regional or international agreements between nations, and 
whether the enforcement mechanisms or procedures of those laws, 
regulations, or agreements result in discriminatory treatment of United 
States entities. The first report under this section shall be issued 
not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act and 
subsequent reports shall be issued every 3 years thereafter.

SEC. 302. REMEDIATION OF DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT BY SECRETARY OF 
              COMMERCE.

    If the Comptroller General of the United States finds, in the study 
and report under section 301, that such information privacy laws, 
regulations, or agreements substantially impede interstate and foreign 
commerce of the United States and that the enforcement mechanisms or 
procedures of the information privacy laws, regulations, or agreements 
described in such subsection result in discriminatory treatment of 
United States entities, the Secretary of Commerce shall, to the extent 
permitted by law take all steps necessary to mitigate against such 
discriminatory impact within 180 days after the report making such 
findings is issued.

SEC. 303. EFFECT OF NONREMEDIATION.

    (a) Recommendations.--If by the end of the 180-day period described 
in section 302, the Secretary of Commerce has not attained complete 
relief from the discriminatory impact described in such subsection, the 
Secretary shall report to the Congress and the President 
recommendations on action to relieve any such remaining discriminatory 
impact.
    (b) Federal Agency Action After Consideration by Congress.--During 
the period after the Secretary reports recommendations under subsection 
(a) for mitigation of discriminatory impact and before the Congress 
acts with respect to such recommendations, no officer or employee of 
any Federal agency may take or continue any action to enjoin, or impose 
any penalty on, a United States entity, or a citizen or legal resident 
of the United States, for the purpose of fulfilling an international 
obligation of the United States under an international privacy 
agreement (other than such an obligation under a ratified treaty) that 
resulted in such discriminatory impact.

SEC. 304. HARMONIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL PRIVACY LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND 
              AGREEMENTS.

    Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Commerce shall provide notice of the provisions of this Act to other 
nations, individually, or as members of international organizations or 
unions that have enacted, promulgated, or adopted information privacy 
laws, regulations, or agreements, and shall seek recognition of this 
Act by such nations, organizations, or unions. The Secretary shall seek 
the harmonization of this Act with such information privacy laws, 
regulations, or agreements, to the extent such harmonization is 
necessary for the advancement of transnational commerce, including 
electronic commerce.
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