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SD 34

An Act relative to removing social security numbers from death certificates

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Will Brownsberger

Massachusetts bill removes Social Security numbers from death certificates to reduce identity theft and fraud risks associated with publicly accessible vital records.

House concurred
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SD 34

Legislative bill overview

SD 34 proposes removing Social Security numbers from Massachusetts death certificates. Currently, SSNs are recorded on death certificates as part of vital records documentation. The bill aims to eliminate this practice to reduce identity theft and fraud risks associated with deceased individuals' personal information.

Why is this important

Death certificates are public records in many states, making SSNs vulnerable to misuse for identity theft, fraudulent loan applications, or tax fraud. Removing SSNs reduces exposure of this sensitive identifier while maintaining necessary vital statistics and genealogical information through other identifying data. This addresses a documented security vulnerability in the vital records system.

Potential points of contention

  • Administrative burden: State vital records offices may need to update systems, forms, and procedures; some stakeholders question whether this creates unnecessary operational costs
  • Data completeness concerns: Some argue SSNs serve legitimate purposes for genealogical research, inheritance verification, or distinguishing individuals with identical names; removing them could complicate these processes
  • Limited effectiveness debate: Critics contend that identity theft risks from death certificates are overstated compared to other data breach sources, questioning whether this addresses the actual scope of the problem

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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