With stories about data breaches appearing on the front page, a number of lawmakers have introduced data security bills that have been referred to various congressional committees. All of the bills have additional notification requirements and most have some form of federal preemption. They differ with respect to the extent of the preemption and the breadth of the application of any new law, with some focused on financial information, others on medical and still others all commercial transactions.

AFSA staff is navigating this sea of legislation to determine what our position should be. It is noteworthy that the FTC has just announced an agreement with a number of large financial companies whereby the agency will receive up-to-date information on identity theft cases.