Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today called on the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to stop selling drivers’ personal information without their consent to for-profit companies. The DMV reportedly raked in $60 million from the practice last year. Hawley was appalled and astonished that this has been happening without the consent of citizens and called on the DMV and governor’s office to end the process immediately.

“It’s appalling, in this day of technology and misuse of personal information, that we would compromise New Yorkers, without their knowledge, in order to generate revenue,” Hawley said. “In an age where cyber crimes and identity theft are at an all-time high, it is unacceptable that our own state government would conduct a practice that increases residents’ susceptibility to these serious crimes. We have no idea exactly what information is being sold, to whom it is being sold, and what these for-profit companies are doing with the data. I plan to sponsor legislation that will stop this practice unless drivers consent, and I will make this a priority during the last three weeks of session.”

Assembly Bill 2509, a bipartisan effort, addresses this issue and currently awaits action in the Assembly Committee on Transportation. To sign the petition against this practice, use the following link: http://bit.ly/1HuIK8P.