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Senate debates confidentiality of employment-security records; bill circled for counsel
Summary
Senate Bill 65 would clarify access to Employment Security records and bar their use in court except for Employment Security Act matters; senators raised concerns about a blanket exemption and requested counsel, and the bill was circled for further work.
Senate Bill 65, proposed to tighten confidentiality around information held by the Department of Employment Security, was presented to the Senate with a second-substitute and a committee report recommending passage.
Senator Stevenson explained the measure would eliminate ambiguous language, specify who may receive employment-security information and for what purposes, and extend criminal penalties for improper disclosure to employees of other government agencies. "There's a need to clarify the extent to which private parties and government agencies may access employment security information," he said.
Several senators pressed concerns that the bill would broadly bar use of those records in court proceedings outside Employment Security Act cases; Senator Hilliard proposed bracketing that language until counsel could clarify whether the change unintentionally curtailed legitimate evidentiary uses (for impeachment in civil suits, for example). After discussion, senators moved to circle the bill so legal counsel can provide guidance and sponsors can consider refinements.
The transcript records the bill was circled and will return to the floor after counsel and sponsor consultation.
