Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District - By Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland)
New Law Sharpens Data Breach Standards
In the United States, throughout 2023, there were more than 3,200 cases of data breaches that occurred, impacting more than 300 million Americans. The severity of the breaches and their impacts vary.
But for me, that number is alarming. When considering cyber security, sometimes it seems that it’s only a matter of when we become victims – not if.
So, when a bill to better safeguard your personal information was considered by the House, I wasted no time in supporting it. In fact, the legislation,
Act 33 of 2024, passed in both the House and Senate; there was no opposition. It amends Pennsylvania’s Breach of Personal Information Notification Act (BPINA).
The new law changes BPINA standards that require when companies and other entities that store data must inform you should a data breach occur.
Previously, companies, governmental bodies and other entities were required to notify users if they experienced a data breach of 1,000 Pennsylvanians or more. This includes breaches of login credentials, personal information such as account numbers, and financial information and drivers’ license numbers.
Under the new law, which lowers the 1,000-person threshold to 500, the company must inform the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, as well as contact consumers. To make the process easier for those entities that experienced the data breach, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the launch of an online portal to streamline the process.
The entities must also provide impacted individuals with 12 months of credit monitoring and access to a credit report. In the previous law, data breach victims only had to be informed that Americans are allowed one free consumer report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every 12 months as required by federal law.
Most experts agree that everyone should be prepared and know how to respond should they learn they were part of a data breach.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, if your Social Security number was exposed, you may want to consider placing a credit freeze by contacting all three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This makes it harder for new accounts to be created. You could also create a fraud alert, which will make it harder for someone to open a new credit account by requiring a business to verify your identity before it issues new credit in your name.
If banking information, such as debit or credit card numbers, is jeopardized, it is recommended you contact bank and credit card companies immediately to cancel cards and get new ones issued. Then, monitor your accounts frequently to make certain no charges are fraudulent.
For more thorough information on what to do when your personal information has been breached, visit
identitytheft.gov/Info-Lost-or-Stolen.
To learn more about BPINA and how it works, visit
attorneygeneral.gov/bpina.
Though it can be scary to consider, it is important consumers know how to respond if they are notified their personal information has been compromised. Knowing how to respond quickly will hopefully provide confidence should such a situation occur.
If you would like additional assistance or would like to learn more, reach out to my Washington Township/Export office at 724-387-9113 or my New Kensington office at 724-472-4102 with any questions.
Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.
Poll Workers Sought for Upcoming Election - Beyond exercising your right to vote, what can you do to help elections run smoothly across the Commonwealth? Consider serving as a poll worker in the upcoming election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Open positions vary by county but may include judge of elections, majority inspector and minority inspector, which are elected positions. Counties also need clerks and machine operators/inspectors at each precinct. These positions are filled by appointment.
Counties train poll workers on their election day duties. Workers receive payment for training and for their service on election day.
In order to serve, you must be registered to vote in the county where you wish to work. Exceptions exist for 17-year-old high school students; contact your county election office for more information. Government officials and government employees generally are not allowed to serve as poll workers. Likewise, you are not permitted to serve if your name appears on the ballot.
Poll workers generally work for the entire day on election day, from before the time the polls open at 7 a.m., until after the polls close at 8 p.m.
People interested in serving as poll workers
should visit here. If you have questions, call 877-VOTESPA (877-868-3772) or email
re-voterreg@pa.gov.
Fire, EMS Grant Applications Due Soon - All fire companies, emergency medical service providers and volunteer rescue squads may now apply for the latest round of grants through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. Projects for which grants may be used include facilities, equipment, debt reduction, training, education, recruitment and retention. The deadline to apply is Sunday, Oct. 20. For more information, please visit
osfc.pa.gov.