HOUSE MEMORIAL 110

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Gail Chasey

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT OF A SECURE AND SIMPLE METHOD OF IDENTITY AUTHENTICATION BASED ON BIOMETRICS.

     WHEREAS, in 2014, an estimated seventeen million six hundred thousand Americans had their personal information compromised at least once, according to the United States department of justice; and

     WHEREAS, the United States department of justice states that the total financial loss stemming from identity theft in 2014 was fifteen billion, four hundred million dollars ($15,400,000,000); and

     WHEREAS, more than thirteen million Americans share one of ten common surnames, tens of millions of consumers use nicknames or initials, and fifty-seven million males have one of ten first names; and

     WHEREAS, these changes to identifiers pose complex challenges for authentication by identity; and

     WHEREAS, typically, a person's identity is more susceptible to fraud when personal identification numbers are used to authenticate identity; and

     WHEREAS, biometric identity, such as fingerprints, is unique to each person and is less susceptible to fraud than other identification methods such as the authentication of documents; and

     WHEREAS, information and communication technology is transforming the way business operates; and

     WHEREAS, biometrics is becoming increasingly utilized by businesses, with fingerprint identification as the most feasible biometric, given the maturity of technology and software and the convenience and growing use of fingerprint scanners on devices such as cellular telephones and tablet computers; and

     WHEREAS, the adoption of a voluntary fingerprint identity system for state government transactions could reduce instances of fraud and loss of revenue due to fraud; and

     WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to study the feasibility of the development of a secure and simple method of identity authentication based on biometrics;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the economic development department and the department of public safety be requested to convene a biometrics study group made up of interested parties to study the feasibility of the development of a secure and simple method of identity authentication based on biometrics; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the biometrics study group be requested to report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate legislative interim committee addressing issues related to science, technology and telecommunications by November 1, 2016; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of economic development and the secretary of public safety.

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