Skip to content
PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · S

S. 141 (111th)

Protecting the Privacy of Social Security Numbers Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

6 January 2009

Last action

6 January 2009 · Introduced

Status

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S124-128)

Sponsors

Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA], Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH], Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME], Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 August 2026

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Protecting the Privacy of Social Security Numbers Act - Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the display, sale, or purchase of Social Security numbers without the affirmatively expressed consent of the individual, except in specified circumstances. Directs the Attorney General to study and report to Congress on all the uses of Social Security numbers permitted, required, authorized, or excepted under any federal law, including the impact of such uses on privacy and data security. Establishes a public records exception to the prohibition. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on Social Security numbers in public records. Grants the Attorney General rulemaking authority to enforce this Act's prohibition and to implement and clarify the permitted uses occurring as a result of an interaction between businesses, governments, or business and government. Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to prohibit: (1) the use of Social Security numbers on checks issued for payment by governmental agencies; and (2) inmate access to Social Security account numbers. Prohibits a commercial entity from requiring an individual to provide a Social Security number when purchasing a commercial good or service or denying an individual the good or service for refusing to provide that number, with exceptions. Establishes civil and criminal penalties. Extends civil monetary penalties for misuse of a Social Security number. Provides for: (1) criminal penalties under SSA title II for the misuse of a Social Security number; (2) civil actions and civil penalties against persons who violate this Act; and (3) federal injunctive authority with respect to any violation by a public entity.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 6 January 2009

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S123-124)

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 6 January 2009

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 6 January 2009

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S124-128)

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in Senate (text)

View fileDownload file

This file cannot be previewed here. Use View or Download.

Leesvertaling

Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

  • Introduced in Senate (text)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 6 January 2009

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in Senate (PDF)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 6 January 2009

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

    Leesvertaling

    Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

    Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

  • Introduced in Senate

    summary · EN · 6 January 2009

    Open at official source

    Leesvertaling

    Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

    Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.