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2012 -- S 2540 | |
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LC01986 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012 | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- | |
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UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES -- CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT AND IDENTITY THEFT | |
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PREVENTION ACT | |
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Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard | |
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Date Introduced: February 28, 2012 | |
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Referred To: Senate Corporations | |
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It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
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SECTION 1. Section 6-13-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 6-13 entitled "Unfair Sales |
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Practices" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
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6-13-17. Requiring consumers to furnish social security numbers. -- (a) Unless |
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otherwise required by federal law, no person shall require that a consumer of goods or services |
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disclose all or part of a social security number incident to the sale of consumer goods or services; |
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provided, however, that: |
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(1) Insurance companies and institutions licensed by the state or federal government for |
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financial services may require applicants for those services to disclose their social security |
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number; |
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(2) Social security numbers may be required for the providing and billing of health care |
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or pharmaceutical-related services, including the issuance of identification cards and account |
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numbers for users of health care or pharmaceutical-related services; and |
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(3) Disclosure may be required of a consumer as a condition of applying for a credit card |
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or the extension of credit for the purchase or rental of goods or services. |
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(b) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, |
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and upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500). |
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(c) In any civil action alleging a violation of this section, the court may award damages, |
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reasonable attorney's fees, and costs to a prevailing consumer, and afford injunctive relief against |
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any person or business that commits or proposes to commit a violation of this section. |
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC01986 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
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BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
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OF | |
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A N A C T | |
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RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- | |
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UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES -- CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT AND IDENTITY THEFT | |
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PREVENTION ACT | |
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This act would add requests for the extension of credit and rentals to the instances where |
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social security numbers may be requested. |
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This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC01986 | |
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