Minnesota needs to do more to prevent state driver's license numbers released by the Department of Public Safety from being utilized in check fraud and identity theft.
The issue was highlighted Wednesday and Thursday by Attorney General Mike Hatch and Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Driver's license information is available under the Data Practices Act, Minnesota's primary freedom of information act. Under the law, the state is required to release driver's license information to allowed users. Those qualified companies pay a feed to cover the state's cost and are restricted from reselling the information for non-allowed purposes.
Unfortunately, some have still been providing the driver's license information to others. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that information from 3.5 million Minnesota drivers licenses information can be purchased on a Web site called: www.publicdata.com
The danger, according to law enforcement authorities, is that some of this information is now being used to create fake checks and driver's licenses.
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On Wednesday, Hatch blamed the Pawlenty administration for allowing the license info to be distributed. On Thursday, Pawlenty blamed Hatch's allegations on rhetorical gamesmanship.
We don't care whose fault it is!
The two should find a bipartisan solution to quickly close the necessary loopholes to prevent this vital data from reaching the hands of criminals.
This problem needs a solution ready for legislative approval as soon as possible.
