The California Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday put on hold for the year a measure that would limit public agencies' use of radio frequency identification devices, the San Jose Mercury News reports. State Sen. Joe Simitian (D), who introduced the bill, has pledged to try to revive it before the Legislature adjourns on Sept. 9.
The Identity Information Protection Act of 2005 (SB 682) would prohibit skimming or theft of information on RFID devices, require the state to include strong security protection and encryption of personal data in any future use of the technology, and establish a three-year moratorium for expanding the technology, the Mercury News reports. The act, which was "shelved" without discussion, aimed to address the threat of personal privacy and tracking if RFID chips were implanted in driver's licenses, school IDs, government health benefit cards and public library cards.
The legislation, which the state Senate has approved, is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (Gladstone, San Jose Mercury News, 8/26).