The Privacy Protection Act is designed to strengthen the safeguarding of personal information collected by government entities and healthcare facilities in New Jersey. It prohibits these entities from requesting or collecting sensitive information such as immigration status, citizenship status, place of birth, social security numbers, and individual taxpayer identification numbers unless it is essential for determining eligibility for public services. Additionally, any records obtained under these provisions will not be classified as governmental records under the Open Public Records Act, thereby limiting their disclosure to specific circumstances, including legal requirements or with the individual's written consent.

The bill also mandates that government entities and healthcare facilities retain personal information only for the duration necessary to provide services and requires them to inform individuals when their information is disclosed due to legal compulsion. It introduces civil liability for misuse of collected information and requires these entities to update their confidentiality policies to align with the new regulations. Furthermore, the act ensures that its provisions remain enforceable even if any part is deemed unconstitutional, thereby reinforcing the commitment to privacy and transparency in handling personal data.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39:2-3.4