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State Representative Jim Davnie
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0173
For more information contact: Melissa Parker 651-296-8873
Press/News Releases
BUDGET CUTS LED TO WEAKNESS IN MVS SYSTEM, PUT CITIZENS AT RISK OF ID THEFT: Rep. Jim Davnie renews his push to pass legislation to protect consumer information
State Rep. Jim Davnie
PRESS RELEASE
Minnesota House of Representatives Contact: Melissa Parker
District 62A (651) 296-0173 (651) 296-8873
309 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 melissa.parker@house.mn
April 19, 2005
BUDGET CUTS LED TO WEAKNESS IN MVS SYSTEM, PUT CITIZENS AT RISK OF ID THEFT
Rep. Jim Davnie renews his push to pass legislation to protect consumer information
SAINT PAUL—In response to an Office of the Legislative Auditor report released today, Rep. Jim Davnie called on the state to take steps to ensure the protection of citizens' personal and financial information.
"We can't say that a breach of security at our state agencies is never going to happen," said Davnie. "What we are saying is that we expect that necessary steps be taken to limit the opportunities for the theft of private and financial information and that we have the ability to inform citizens when they have been opened up to the threat of identity theft."
Rep. Davnie said that the state must not cut budgetary corners that put citizens at risk of identity theft sighting the lack of oversight of the systems and the failure to implement effective security programs.
"I think what we have here is an example of what can happen when we place pressure on government agencies to exist on insufficient bare-bones budgets," said Davnie. "This is a matter of great importance to the 360,000 Minnesotans that entrusted their personal information to Driver and Vehicle Services' on-line motor vehicle registration system.
Rep. Davnie said that the Department was made aware of security concerns in a report made by the Legislative Auditor in 2001, and that the failure of Commissioner Campion to implement suggested changes to improve security within the past three years following the report is of serious concern. Since 2001, some staff tasked with supervising system information security has been eliminated and another position has been held open.
"There should be priority placed on the security of a system that has handled $30.5 million in transactions last year," said Davnie. "The fact that there has not been staff dedicated to ensuring security is simply unacceptable."
Rep. Davnie has introduced two pieces of legislation this year that would require that consumers be contacted when a breach of security occurs. Rep. Davnie said that he plans to amend his bills and offer amendments to any other bill on the issue currently moving through the process to explicitly address public agency databases as well.
"Just this year, we have heard of many high profile examples of large scale consumer identification theft," said Davnie, referencing the incidences at ChoicePoint Inc. and NexisLexis. "We are taking steps to hold these consumer information databases accountable. Citizens have a right to expect that those standards should be enforced for our state's databases as well."
Rep. Davnie said that personal information theft is a growing issue that all Minnesotans should care about.
"Minnesotans cannot avoid having their private data held in these databases and cannot opt out of these databases," said Davnie. "Citizens should expect prompt notification regarding an incident that could put them at risk. We need to give citizens the tools necessary to empower them to take the steps to protect themselves from identity theft and a damaged credit rating."
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