2012 -- H 7325

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LC00385

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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A N A C T

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --

UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES - CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT AND IDENTITY THEFT

PREVENTION ACT

     Introduced By: Representative Robert B. Jacquard

     Date Introduced: February 02, 2012

     Referred To: House Corporations

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 2. Section 6-13-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 6-13 entitled "Unfair Sales

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Practices" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     6-13-17. Requiring consumers to furnish social security numbers. -- (a) Unless

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otherwise required by federal law, no person shall require that a consumer of goods or services

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disclose all or part of a social security number incident to the sale of consumer goods or services;

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provided, however, that:

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      (1) Insurance companies and institutions licensed by the state or federal government for

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financial services may require applicants for those services to disclose their social security

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number;

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      (2) Social security numbers may be required for the providing and billing of health care

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or pharmaceutical-related services, including the issuance of identification cards and account

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numbers for users of health care or pharmaceutical-related services; and

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      (3) (2) Disclosure may be required of a consumer as a condition of applying for a credit

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card for the purchase of goods or services.

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      (b) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,

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and upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500).

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      (c) In any civil action alleging a violation of this section, the court may award damages,

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reasonable attorney's fees, and costs to a prevailing consumer, and afford injunctive relief against

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any person or business that commits or proposes to commit a violation of this section.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00385

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --

UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES - CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT AND IDENTITY THEFT

PREVENTION ACT

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     This act would provide that social security numbers may not be required for the providing

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and billing of health care or pharmaceutical-related services, including the issuance of

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identification cards and account numbers.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00385

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