S-3111.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8028

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington   57th Legislature        2002 Regular Session

By Senators Stevens, Benton, Johnson, Morton, Honeyford, Rossi, Long, Hochstatter, Swecker, Roach and Kline

Read first time 01/16/2002.  Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Requesting the elimination of the requirement that states collect social security numbers.

    TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, A provision in federal law that took effect October 1, 2000, requires states to gather Social Security Numbers from applicants seeking or renewing drivers' licenses as part of the 1997 welfare reform act, designed to help recover overdue child support from obligated parents; and

    WHEREAS, The state of Michigan has sued the federal government in federal court to block this law that forces all states to collect Social Security Numbers from tens of millions of motorists, and which is an uncalled for invasion of privacy; and

    WHEREAS, Michigan's suit argues that the law violates the United States constitutional guarantee against invasion of privacy, represents an unfunded federal mandate, and violates the tenth amendment to the Constitution by requiring states to administer a federal regulatory program; and

    WHEREAS, The Washington State Legislature complied with the federal requirements, but directed the department of social and health services to seek a waiver from the federal government, and that waiver was denied; and

    WHEREAS, Noncompliance could cost the state approximately one billion dollars in federal funding; and

    WHEREAS, The states already do a great job in collecting support payments, and creating another data base with Social Security Numbers can add to the growing crime of identity theft; and

    WHEREAS, It is important that all states, whether or not they are currently complying with the federal law requiring states to gather Social Security Numbers from applicants seeking or renewing drivers' licenses, take a stand against the federal government imposing unnecessary and overreaching regulations on the states;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Congress guarantee the constitutional rights of privacy of American citizens, eliminate unfunded federal mandates, and protect federalism by eliminating the Social Security Number collection requirements.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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