Judges: WRITTEN BY: Robert M. Spire, Attorney General Yvonne E. Gates, Assistant Attorney General
Filed Date: 3/4/1987
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/5/2016
REQUESTED BY: Holly Jensen, Director Department of Motor Vehicles
DOES THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 PROHIBIT THE FURNISHING OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AS PROVIDED UNDER NEB.REV.STAT. §
QUESTION NO. 2: MUST THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES PURSUANT TO § 7(b) OF THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 INFORM INDIVIDUALS THAT THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER MAY BE FURNISHED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES?
QUESTION NO. 3: MAY ONLY THE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SO ADVISED BE DISCLOSED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES UPON REQUEST?
QUESTION NO. 4: MAY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES FURNISH THE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS TO LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND THE SELECTIVE SERVICE?
No. A limited exception to the Federal CONCLUSION 2, 3 and 4: No, for the same reasons expressed in conclusion number 1.
Privacy Act exists for agencies empowered to promote the payment and collection of child support obligations. However, Neb.Rev.Stat. §
The Federal Privacy Act
The provision was drafted by Congress to respond to the concern that social security numbers could be used as universal identifiers and thus threaten personal privacy. 120 Cong. Rec. 31,812-13 (1974). The Act outlawed the new uses of social security numbers as a means of identifying individuals.
While enacting the Tax Reform Act of 1976 codified at
Federal legislation clearly makes limited use of social security numbers by state governments permissible. That same year our state passed legislation designed to enhance child support enforcement. As amended November 16, 1985, Neb.Rev.Stat. §
Notwithstanding any other provision of law regarding the confidentiality of records and when not prohibited by the federal Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579, as amended, each department and agency of state, county, and city government shall, upon request, furnish to any court-appointed individuals, the county attorney, any authorized attorney, or the Department of Social Services an absent parent's address, social security number, amount of income, and employer's name and address for the exclusive purpose of collecting child or spousal support. Information so obtained shall be used for no other purpose. This statute indicates that the Department of Motor Vehicles, although not named specifically but as a state agency, is required to furnish the requested information to the Department of Social Services.
However, effective July 17, 1986, the Legislature directly addressed the use of social security numbers by the Department of Motor Vehicles in passing Neb.Rev.Stat. §
A legislative act which is complete in itself to the extent it is in conflict with a prior law repeals the prior law by implication. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Emp., AFL-CIO v. Lancaster County,
Although repeals by implication are not favored, they will be adopted where made necessary by unavoidable repugnancy and evident intent of the Legislature. State v. Roth,
Therefore, we conclude that the Department of Social Services' attempt to track parents delinquent in child support obligations by use of social security numbers in the Department of Motor Vehicles' records is prohibited by §
Sincerely yours,
ROBERT M. SPIRE Attorney General
Yvonne E. Gates Assistant Attorney General