Queens Gazette

Ion politics

Gianaris Praises Law Designed To Stop Identity Theft






Ion politics By John Toscano Gianaris Praises Law Designed To Stop Identity Theft


Ion

politics


A new law aimed at curtailing the huge losses resulting from identity theft has drawn the strong support of Assemblymember Michael Gianaris.


Speaking of the new statute, which requires merchants to remove expiration dates of debit and credit cards from electronically created receipts, the Astoria lawmaker stated:


"This bill is an important step in the fight against identity theft. As cautious as individuals are, it is the responsibility of merchants to do their part in protecting the consumer, and this bill does just that."


Gianaris explained that the Federal Trade Commission has reported that in the past five years over 27 million Americans have been identity theft victims, with 10 million victimized in the past year alone shelling out $5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses.


In addition, said Gianaris, an aspirant for the state attorney general post if it were to become available in the future, "Businesses and financial institutions faced $48 billion in expenses as a consequence of identity theft."


Under the new law, no more than the last five digits of an account number must appear on a receipt. Also, all new credit and debit card machines must comply with the law’s provisions if they are placed into service after January 2004. Machines in use before that date have until January 1, 2007 to meet the new standards.


McLAUGHLIN CITES VULNERABILITY: Last August, Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin (D–Flushing) called upon the FBI and Governor George Pataki to investigate the whereabouts of two M–203 missile or rocket launchers that were missing from the Army depot in the Hillcrest community.


"To date, we still have not received definite word," McLaughlin said. "We don’t know if this is an inventory glitch, a criminal act or the work of terrorists."


But, the community where the Army depot is located, has a large, high-risk Orthodox Jewish population and is home to St. John’s University with 18,000 students, "so it has the right to know that it is not in harm’s way," McLaughlin said.


Last week, McLaughlin recalled the August enquiry when he heard that a Viper rocket launcher was found in Brooklyn. He declared:


"This is yet another chilling example of how vulnerable we are."


Whether the weaponry is only parts, as in the ones missing from his district, or an inoperable launcher as in the Brooklyn case, the issue is still the same, he said. "These tools of destruction must be accounted for," he declared.


McLaughlin has passed information along to federal authorities and is waiting patiently for any response.


LIU THANKS 6 FLUSHING MERCHANTS: City Councilmember John Liu (D–Flushing) honored six Flushing businessmen last Friday with City Council citations for contributing thousands of dollars to clean up downtown Flushing.


Liu said all are strong supporters of the recently created Business Improvement District (BID), but didn’t want to wait until the BID is established to initiate improvements. They contributed $11,000 each toward the street cleaning project under the banner of "Destination Flushing".


Liu identified the six Good Samaritans as Timothy Chuang, Yee Leung, Peter Koo, Wellington Cheng and Lewis Chang. Liu said he hoped to take on other projects with the six benefactors.


NEW LAFAYETTE LAW: A new consumer-oriented law sponsored by Assemblymember Ivan Lafayette (D–Jackson Heights) and designed to assure that insurance agents and brokers receive copies of policy cancellations, has gone into effect.


Lafayette said the law applies to cancellations for non-payment of premiums and requires that the specific amount of money owed to prevent cancellation must be indicated.


The new law will ensure that all parties, including the agent, broker and the insured are made aware when the policy is going to be terminated along with the amount due to ensure that the insured has ample time to not only pay the premium, but pay the proper amount so as not to have the policy cancelled. Cancellation results in a number of penalties for the person involved, so it is best to avoid it if possible.


WEINER ENDORSES CLARK: Taking an early stance, Congressmember Anthony Weiner (D–Queens/Brooklyn) last week endorsed retired General Wesley Clark as his candidate for the Democratic Party nomination in next year’s presidential election.


Weiner declared: "Wesley Clark is someone that can carry Southern Brooklyn and Southern Queens, but more importantly, he can carry the southern states, and we need to have a candidate that can carry that part of the country to win back the White House."


HILLARY IN LIMELIGHT: Although there was a swarm of Democratic presidential hopefuls around, non-candidate U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D–New York) just about stole the show at last weekend’s Jefferson–Jackson Day Dinner staged by Iowa Democrats.


Clinton introduced speeches by several candidates, but press reports said she drew the most cheers for a hard-hitting, anti-Bush speech she herself delivered. Clinton was apparently responsible for attracting a 250-member press corps for the event, more reporters than have been following the Democratic hopefuls around.


CHENEY COMES TO TOWN: On a fundraising foray into Manhattan last Friday, Vice President Dick Cheney praised Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the job he’s doing as New York City mayor and Bloomberg, in turn, just about endorsed President George W. Bush and his running mate for re-election.


The mayor introduced Cheney as the main speaker at a $1,000-a-plate luncheon at the St. Regis Hotel, touted New York City as the GOP National Convention city next year and said Bush deserves another four-year term. Earlier last week, the mayor had to pitch in to scuttle a plan proposed to house convention visitors on a luxury liner docked in New York Harbor. The mayor was quick to point out that he’s already reserved 22,000 hotel rooms for convention attendees and there was no need for a cruise ship to glide in and spoil the city’s chance to make a few bucks off the top political event of next year.


BATTLE VA HOSP CLOSING: Veterans protested the possible closing of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of New York in Manhattan last Sunday, complaining that if the closing of the facility at 23rd Street and First Avenue goes through, vets will be referred to VA hospitals in Brooklyn and The Bronx.


Local lawmakers have been fighting to keep the Manhattan facility open. It’s not clear whether they’re succeeding. Congressmember Carolyn Maloney (D–Queens/Manhattan) says she’s been told by officials it will remain open, but United States Senator Charles Schumer (D–New York) says he believes it will be shut down. Queens veterans’ organizations have called for the facility to remain open.


MONSERRATE AT JFK CLUB: City Councilmember Hiram Monserrate (D–Corona) fresh from a re-election victory, will be the guest speaker at tomorrow night’s meeting of the John F. Kennedy Regular Democratic Club of Queens. The meeting, at 7:30 p.m., will be held at the club’s headquarters at 78-31 Parsons Blvd. in Flushing.


SEARS FUNDRAISER: Councilmember Helen Sears (D–Jackson Heights), who was uncontested for re-election in the recent balloting, held a brunch–fundraiser this past Sunday at Kaufman Astoria Studios, in Astoria. County Democratic leader Thomas Manton chaired the event, which drew a good crowd.






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