HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESSB 6020

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                          Judiciary

Title:  An act relating to recording of social security numbers on applications for licenses to assist in child support enforcement.

Brief Description:  Delaying implementation of the requirement to record social security numbers on license applications to assist in child support enforcement.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Labor & Workforce Development (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove, Fairley, Benton, Kohl‑Welles, Zarelli, Swecker, Roach, McDonald, Rossi, Morton, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Hochstatter, T. Sheldon, Sheahan, Johnson, Prentice, Brown, Heavey, Stevens and Costa).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Judiciary:  3/25/99, 4/1/99 [DP].

      Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

$Postpones the requirement that the Department of Licensing collect Social Security numbers of applicants for driver's licenses until the date specified under federal law.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 12 members:  Representatives Carrell, Republican Co-Chair; Constantine, Democratic Co-Chair; Hurst, Democratic Vice Chair; Lambert, Republican Vice Chair; Cox; Dickerson; Esser; Kastama; Lantz; Lovick; McDonald and Schindler.

Staff:  Trudes Hutcheson (786-7384).

Background:

Generally, federal law prohibits federal and state agencies from denying any right, benefit, or privilege to a person because of the person's refusal to disclose his or her Social Security number, unless disclosure is required by federal statute.  Federal law does not prohibit an agency from requesting a person's Social Security number.

In order to receive federal funds for child support and temporary aid to needy families, states must adopt a child support enforcement program that complies with federal law.  To comply with federal law, Washington passed ESSB 6418 in 1998, which required the state to collect the Social Security numbers of applicants for professional, driver's, occupational, and recreational licenses.  Subsequently, Congress postponed the deadline for implementing the state collection of Social Security numbers on noncommerical driver's licenses until October 1, 2000.

Summary of Bill:

A change is made to the statute regarding the collection of Social Security numbers of applicants for certain licenses.  A person is not required to furnish his or her Social Security number when applying for an original, replacement, or renewal of a noncommerical driver's license until the date specified under federal law.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill is written in such a way that no federal funds would be at risk.  This bill delays the requirement for the Department of Licensing to collect Social Security numbers until the federal government actually requires it.  It is important to protect citizens' privacy.  The date of October 1, 2000 that is currently in federal law was chosen to be consistent with other federal legislation.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Hargrove, prime sponsor; Elizabeth Morgan, Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Child Support; Jerry Sheehan, American Civil Liberties Union of Washington; and Janeane Dubuar, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility.