Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/29/2004 09:05 AM Senate FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 284(STA) "An Act relating to an optional election to prevent the name and address of a permanent fund dividend applicant from being disclosed, except to a local, state, or federal government agency, or in compliance with a court order." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. Co-Chair Wilken stated that this legislation would allow the Permanent Fund Dividend Division in the Department of Revenue to keep applicant information private, except in those situations in which the disclosure of the information is required by federal or State government. Co-Chair Green moved to adopt the Version 23-LS1596\I committee substitute as the working document. Co-Chair Wilken, hearing no objection, announced that the Version "I" committee substitute would be the working document. SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS, the bill's sponsor, stated that this legislation would mandate that, with the exception of a person's name, all Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) application information would be confidential. In addition to providing a degree of privacy to individuals, keeping things such as a person's residential address confidential is especially important for those threatened by domestic violence. This would include keeping Post Office Box addresses private, as someone could locate a person were that a known element. Federal and State access to some of the dividend application information would apply in such cases as child support and jury duty communications. Senator Guess noted that currently, a person could access the Permanent Fund Dividend registry via the Internet and download it in its entirety. The adoption of the Version "I" committee substitute would reduce the original $15,000 Department of Revenue fiscal note #1, dated February 24, 2004. SHARON BARTON, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend Division, Department of Revenue, confirmed that the Department's fiscal expense associated with the Version "I" committee substitute would be reduced to zero, as no cost would be incurred by only publishing individuals' names on the registry. Co-Chair Wilken asked for further information regarding the Department's $15,000 fiscal note #1, dated February 24, 2004. Ms. Barton responded that limiting the Permanent Fund registry to only applicants' names, as specified in the Version "I" committee substitute, would incur no expense to the Department, as it would be accomplished by a small programming change. The previous version of the bill would have allowed people to choose whether or not to include their name and address on the Permanent Fund Dividend registry. That ability to choose, she informed, would have resulted in an expense to the Department. Co-Chair Wilken understood therefore, that a new zero fiscal note from the Department of Revenue would be forthcoming. Ms. Barton concurred. Co-Chair Green informed the Committee that she had been contacted by a constituent who told her that, as a result of being on some State registry, her name had been accessed by a mailing list and, as a result, she had received a volume of unsolicited mail. Therefore, Co-Chair Green suggested that this legislation be expanded to provide privacy coverage to a multitude of State registries. She noted that currently, each agency has its own Statutes in this regard. The issue regarding privacy of information should be further expanded to encompass all State agencies. She stated that she would conduct further research in this regard. Co-Chair Wilken noted that amending this legislation to address those concerns could be an option. Therefore, he asked Co-Chair Green to further her efforts. Co-Chair Green concurred that the privacy issue is important. Co-Chair Wilken commented that were the PFD database information curtailed, the next commonly used database would be voter registration lists. Co-Chair Green responded that she would further efforts to address these concerns. Co-Chair Wilken commented that public officials access voter registration lists to obtain constituency contacts. Senator Guess voiced willingness to amend the legislation to include other areas of concern. She understood that the PFD database is the most commonly used database as it is the largest, most accurate address registry available. Co-Chair Wilken ordered the bill HELD in Committee in order to address additional privacy concerns.
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