The bill amends the Code of West Virginia by adding a new section, 5-10D-15, which establishes that personally identifiable information of members, retirants, beneficiaries, or alternate payees of retirement systems administered by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board is confidential and exempt from disclosure. This measure is introduced in response to the growing concerns regarding fraud and identity theft. The information protected under this provision includes Social Security numbers, account numbers, dates of birth, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, medical or disability information, direct deposit information, and any other personally identifiable information.

Under this new section, access to such confidential information is granted only to the members, retirants, beneficiaries, alternate payees, or individuals authorized by them. The bill emphasizes the importance of safeguarding sensitive personal data while allowing individuals to access their own information. This legislation is effective immediately upon passage, reflecting the urgency of protecting personal information in the context of retirement systems.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 5-10D-15
Committee Substitute: 5-10D-15
Enrolled Committee Substitute: 5-10D-15