10-9-13 child credit protection measure passes assembly

The state Assembly has approved a bill that would provide credit protection for minors.  Republican state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac says the bill  proactively addresses child identity theft.  Thiesfeldt says the proposed bill allows a parent or legal guardian to freeze  a child’s credit record or open a credit record in the child’s name to place a freeze on it until the child turns 16.  Thiesfeldt says recent studies reveal that children are 35 times more likely than adults to have their identity stolen and over half of the perpetrators are family members or friends.  The measure now goes to the Senate.