From: "Vladimir Z. Nuri" <vznuri@netcom.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 03:35:24 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: IP: [FP] FW: CA Fingerprinting legislation
Message-ID: <199809110836.BAA11006@netcom13.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




From: "ScanThisNews" <mcdonalds@airnet.net>
Subject: IP: [FP] FW: CA Fingerprinting legislation
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 22:12:08 -0500
To: ignition-point@majordomo.pobox.com

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SCAN THIS NEWS
9/9/98

[Forwarded message]
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Fr:	Jon Golinger, CALPIRG
Re:	Wrap-up on Bank Fingerprinting/Biometrics Legislation in California
this year
Date:	9/9/98

As you know, there was significant activity in the State Legislature this
year surrounding the use of fingerprints and other biometric identifiers
by banks and commercial entities.  This is an effort to summarize what
happened this year and solidify a coalition to work together on these
issues next year and in years to come.

There were two main bills introduced to address the
fingerprinting/biometrics issue - SB 1622 by Senator Steve Peace, which
would have prohibited banks from fingerprinting customers, and AB 50 by
Assemblyman Kevin Murray, which would have created some guidelines for
the use of fingerprints and other biometrics in the commercial sector. 
Neither piece of legislation passed this year.

SB 1622, backed by CALPIRG, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, ACLU, Ralph
Nader, and others, was approved by the State Senate and the Assembly
Judiciary Committee.  Opposed by the California Bankers Association and
some law enforcement officials, the bill was voted down in the Assembly
Banking Committee in early August and remained there for the rest of the
year.

AB 50, backed by the California Bankers Association and some law
enforcement officials, was heavily amended and approved by just one
Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, after extensive negotiations. 
Opposed by Nader, ACLU, CALPIRG, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and the
California Reinvestment Committee, AB 50 was expected to pass but was
pulled from the Senate Floor and killed by leadership the day before the
session ended.

So, the status quo leaves many California banks still fingerprinting
customers and the potential for other commercial uses of biometrics very
much an open question.  However, the banks and their allies failed to
close the door on this issue by passing the weak "consumer protections"
in AB 50 that would have effectively paved the way for fingerprinting and
biometrics in a variety of commercial situations and made it difficult to
pass consumer-friendly legislation in the future.

This issue will surely be the subject of legislation next year.  I
believe that it would be in the interests of those concerned about
privacy, discrimination, and "Big Brother" issues related to this subject
to begin discussions or meetings before the new legislative session
begins about a plan for the coming year.  We may also want to consider
establishing a "Privacy Coalition" to work on these and related issues as
they arise.  I will be in touch with interested groups and individuals
about this in the coming weeks.

We can be certain of one thing:  the banks and their allies will be back.
 So will we.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jon L Golinger [mailto:calpirg.golinger@juno.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 2:56 PM
To: mcdonald@networkusa.org
Subject: CA Fingerprinting legislation

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