Feinstein introduces data security bills

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., on Tuesday introduced a pair of data security bills -- one that would require businesses to notify consumers in the event of a security breach and another, co-sponsored by Sens. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, would ban the sale or display of an individual's Social Security number without his or her consent.

The legislation, which she also offered in the 110th Congress, was part of a package of "first day" bills she sponsored as members returned to Capitol Hill, according to a release.

Specifically, her breach bill would require a federal agency or business entity to quickly notify an individual of a security breach involving personal data and would require notice to the Secret Service if records of more than 10,000 individuals are obtained or if the database breached contains more than a million entries, is owned by the federal government, or involves national security or law enforcement. The Social Security measure would prohibit federal, state and local governments from displaying the numbers on records posted online or from printing them on government checks. It would also place limits on when businesses can ask customers for their Social Security numbers.