Free credit freezes are Connecticut’s response to Equifax breach

This Saturday, July 21, 201 file, photo shows signage at the corporate headquarters of Equifax Inc. in Atlanta. Equifax has disclosed to lawmakers that its data breach exposed more of consumers' personal information than the company first made public last year. The credit reporting company submitted paperwork to the Senate Banking Committee showing criminals accessed information such as tax identification numbers, email addresses, phone numbers and more, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) less This Saturday, July 21, 201 file, photo shows signage at the corporate headquarters of Equifax Inc. in Atlanta. Equifax has disclosed to lawmakers that its data breach exposed more of consumers' personal ... more Photo: Mike Stewart / Associated Press Photo: Mike Stewart / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Free credit freezes are Connecticut’s response to Equifax breach 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

HARTFORD — In response to a data breach at credit reporting agency Equifax impacting millions of Americans, Connecticut passed a bill to prohibit credit agencies from charging consumers a fee to place or remove a security freeze on their account.

The bill also increases from 12 months to 24 months the required amount of credit monitoring provided to a consumer after a security breach.

“One credit card number stolen can spell financial disaster,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, at a press conference advocating for the passage of the bill in April.

The House unanimously passed the bill Tuesday night, following earlier passage by the Senate. It will now go to the desk of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for a signature.

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said data breaches have become one of the top issues his office now investigates.

“This is an issue that is not going away,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk.

The House vote came just hours after Equifax revealed that social security numbers as well as data from the passports and driver’s licenses from nearly 146 million Americans were compromised in the breach they reported publicly in July 2017.

emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson