Bill would eliminate need to provide personal info for gift cards

A Garden State lawmaker is sponsoring legislation that would prevent consumers who purchase gift cards from being required to provide personal information.

Starting in July of 2016, New Jersey consumers who purchase gift cards would have to give out personal information because under current law, the value of the cards is transferred to the state if the cards aren't used within five years. One New Jersey legislator said that has always been a bad idea and he sponsors legislation that would eliminate the data collection mandate.

"It's more information that is being given to a retailer in an unsecure manner," said Assemblyman Pat Diegnan (D-South Plainfield). "This is really just data collection with no provision for data security at all."

With all of the reports of recent computer data breaches at major corporations, it would be fair to say that not many people feel comfortable turning over their personal information to retailers Diegnan said.

"We actually had to delay it once already. There is prior legislation to delay the data collection implementation and now let's just do away with it," Diegnan said.

Home Depot, Target, P.F. Changs, UPS and others have had security breach issues this year as well and the FBI is said to be investigating a possible hacking at J.P. Morgan.

The public is invited to attend and participate in a discussion Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) will hold on cyber security with state Homeland Security officials on Monday, Oct. 20, at Kean University.