Bill > H4806

This bill amends Massachusetts law to provide additional consumer protections related to security breaches and credit reporting. The key provisions are: 1. Defining "breach of security" and "personal information" consistent with existing state law. 2. Requiring consumers to provide prior written, verbal, or electronic consent before a user can obtain their credit report, with certain exceptions. 3. Mandating that consumer reporting agencies provide consumers with a clear explanation of the information in their credit reports and their rights regarding the reporting process. 4. Prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from charging fees to consumers to place, lift, or remove a security freeze on their credit reports. 5. Requiring consumer reporting agencies to notify consumers about the availability of security freezes and how to obtain them when offering paid products to prevent unauthorized access to consumer credit. 6. Expanding the required information that must be included in notices to the state Attorney General and consumers following a security breach involving personal information, such as social security numbers. 7. Obligating entities that experience a security breach involving social security numbers to provide free credit monitoring services to affected residents for at least 18 months, or 42 months if the breached entity is a consumer reporting agency.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4806