Social Security Legislative Bulletin

106-29
November 17,2000

On November 6, 2000, the President signed into law H.R. 3218, the "Social Security Number Confidentiality Act of 2000" (Public Law 106-433).

As enacted, the law:

• Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to take necessary action to ensure that Social Security account numbers (including derivatives of such numbers) are not visible on or through unopened mailings of Government checks or other drafts.
• Applies to all mailings of checks or other drafts issued on or after the date which is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
• Provides that the Secretary upon enactment shall commence procedures to gradually implement the amendments made by this Act in advance of the effective date.

Reporting Requirement

• Provides that not later than 1 year after the date of enactment and annually thereafter for each of the next 2 years, the Secretary shall transmit to each House of the Congress a report describing the manner and extent to which the Treasury is meeting the requirement to phase in implementation.

NOTE: As of October 2000, the SSN on Social Security checks is not visible through the envelope window.