Trade associations for firms dealing with electronic data transfer, Choicepoint, the Consumer Data Industry Association and Reed Elsevier, owners of LexisNexis, expressed concerns about the legislation in a hearing held Saturday, March 15.

The committee is working on small language changes in the bill that would make it easier for national firms to deal with. Jon Burton, representing Choicepoint asked for a small language changes that relate to exemptions allowing businesses to obtain a person's social security number. Except for exemptions the bill prohibits the sale, lease, loan, trade or rental of social security numbers.

Jennifer Flynn, an attorney and government affairs director for the Consumer Data Industry Association, said certain phrases in the bill would not allow its association members to comply with requirements in a range of federal laws ranging from the Fair Credit Reporting Act to the Patriot Act.

The Senate committee will take the bill up again on Tuesday, March 18. It must still clear the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees.