Today, a landmark bill that would require tough privacy and security safeguards for Radio Frequency Identification tags in state-issued IDs sailed through the California Senate on a 33-2 bipartisan vote.
Without proper protections, RFIDs in IDs can broadcast your private information to anyone and leave you vulnerable to tracking and identity theft. That's why EFF, the ACLU, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and other groups have been working hard to get the Identity Information Protection Act (SB 30) passed.
Last year, California's legislature passed a similar version of this bill, but Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a shortsighted veto. The Senate sent a clear message today that the Governor should not forgo another opportunity to give Californians control over the personal information on their own drivers' licenses, library cards, and other important ID cards.
For more on the bill, check out this blog entry by Nicole Ozer of the ACLU of Northern California.
