(a) On and after January 1, 2008, any person, nonprofit or for profit business entity in this state, including, but not limited to, any sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, engaged in any business, including, but not limited to, health care, that has obtained a federal social security number for a legitimate business or governmental purpose shall make reasonable efforts to protect that social security number from disclosure to the public. Social security numbers shall not:

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class B misdemeanorup to 6 monthsup to $500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 47-18-2110

  • Consumer reporting agency: has the meaning ascribed to that term by Tennessee Code 47-18-2102
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means a natural person, consumer, individual, governmental agency, partnership, corporation, trust, estate, incorporated or unincorporated association, and any other legal or commercial entity however organized. See Tennessee Code 47-18-2102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Be posted or displayed in public;
(2) Be required to be transmitted over the Internet, unless the Internet connection used is secure or the social security number is encrypted;
(3) Be required to log onto or access an Internet web site, unless used in combination with a password or other authentication device;
(4) Be printed on any materials mailed to a consumer, unless the disclosure is required by law, or the document is a form or application; or
(5) Be printed on any check, card, identification, or badge that the consumer must display or present in order to receive a benefit, good, service or other thing of value to which the consumer is entitled based upon the consumer’s contract or other agreement with the entity issuing the check, card, identification, or badge.
(b) The requirements established pursuant to subsection (a) shall not apply:

(1) To the disclosure of a federal social security number by an entity so long as the disclosure is for a legitimate business or governmental purpose and occurs pursuant to the terms of a business or governmental contract or other lawful legal obligation; or
(2) If the:

(A) Person gives permission, in writing;
(B) Disclosure is authorized or required under state or federal law; or
(C) Disclosure is made:

(i) To a consumer reporting agency as defined by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.);
(ii) To a financial institution subject to the privacy provisions of the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. § 6802); or
(iii) To a financial institution subject to the International Money Laundering Abatement and Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 (31 U.S.C. § 5311 et seq.).
(c) On and after January 1, 2009, a violation of subsection (a) is a Class B misdemeanor. Each violation of subsection (a) shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) In addition to the criminal offense created pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), on and after January 1, 2009, it is also a civil violation of this part, subject to the penalty provided in this part, for any person, any nonprofit or for profit business entity in this state, including, but not limited to, any sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, engaged in any business, including, but not limited to, health care, to violate any of the prohibitions of subsection (a).
(e) Any state agency or nonprofit or for profit business entity engaged in the provision of health care services under Title XIX, including determining eligibility for Title XIX services, shall be exempted from the requirements of subsections (a) and (b).
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