Date: Fri, 12 Jun 1998 12:53:44 -0700 (PDT) From: jd@scn.org (SCN User) To: local-computer-activists@scn.org Subject: SSN and Driver Licenses Reply-To: jd@scn.org Sender: owner-local-computer-activists@scn.org ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ----------------------- http://www.tribnet.com/news/local/gov_state/0611b41.htm State awaits ruling on Social Security appeal=20 Peter Callaghan; The News Tribune=20 Gov. Gary Locke wants state agencies to hold off on a new law requiring Washingtonians to give their Social Security numbers when applying for most licenses - including driver's licenses. The requirement was to begin today. But Locke wants the agencies to wait until the federal government decides whether the state really needs to collect the numbers. State officials asked the federal government to waive the requirement two months ago because the purpose - getting Social Security numbers for parents behind on child support - has already been accomplished in Washington state. If the federal government says no to the waiver request, Washington will begin requiring Social Security numbers on applications and renewals of most state-issued licenses. States that do not comply risk losing hundreds of millions of dollars in welfare money, and Washington could lose $500 million a year. Social Security numbers help social service agencies track down those parents and aids in the collection of unpaid child support. Nationally, the amount of unpaid support is reported to be $34 billion and welfare checks sometimes are needed to replace money that should be paid by parents. But the waiver request submitted by the state Department of Social and Health Services noted that state files already contain Social Security numbers for 96.7 percent of the 356,329 errant parents. And DSHS officials say they don't think the number will move any closer to 100 percent if Social Security numbers are collected on most state license applications. Privacy advocates, including many legislators, oppose increased use of Social Security numbers for non-Social Security purposes. The law that implemented the federal mandate also required Locke to first request a waiver. Although the law is to take effect today, Locke's counsel thinks the spirit of the law suggests the state wait until it hears from Washington, D.C. "The federal government has wanted us to collect Social Security numbers for a while," said Everett Billingslea, Locke's counsel. "Whether it's June 11 or June 12 doesn't really matter to the feds." Michael Kharfen, a spokesman for the federal department of Health and Human Services, said the decision on the waiver request should be announced within a week. In April, Kharfen said the department was "hesitant" to grant waivers to individual states because it wanted a seamless collection system for the entire nation. Having Social Security numbers aids in the collection of support from parents who have crossed state lines and have been lost by the state where the support is due, he said. State Department of Licensing officials say agents already ask for Social Security numbers when issuing driver's licenses. But compliance is voluntary, and about one million of the state's four million licensed drivers refuse. Department officials say they will be ready to put the collection program in place as soon as a waiver denial is announced. - - - * Staff writer Peter Callaghan covers politics. Reach him at 253-597-8657 or by e-mail pjc@p.tribnet.com =A9 The News Tribune June 11, 1998 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * * . To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to: majordomo@scn.org In the body of the message, type: unsubscribe local-computer-activists END