Bill > SB632

This bill establishes the Office of State Elected Officials Information Privacy within the Department of Legislative Services to protect the personal information of certain state elected officials and their families, referred to as "protected individuals." This office can be contacted by protected individuals or on their behalf to request that government entities or private individuals stop publishing or remove personal information, such as home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and Social Security numbers, from the internet, social media, or social networks. The bill outlines procedures for making these requests, including written notice and confirmation of identity, and specifies that government entities must promptly acknowledge and act on these requests, removing information within 72 hours if already published. Protected individuals or the Office can take legal action against entities that violate these provisions, and members of the General Assembly can use their allotted funds to help identify and remove published personal information. The bill also makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly publish protected individuals' personal information if it poses an imminent threat and leads to specific harmful actions like assault or harassment.