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Read. Follow. Verify.Indiana bill requires credit bureaus to disclose if a consumer's Social Security number is linked to other credit files starting in 2027
Last action · January 6, 2026: First reading: referred to Committee on Financial InstitutionsSponsor: Ryan Lauer
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What This Bill Proposed
Beginning December 31, 2026, nationwide ing agencies must check whether an Indiana resident's Social Security number is associated with any other credit files upon receiving a proper search request. Credit bureaus must verify the number with the Social Security Administration, report the number of mismatched files, and disclose who accessed those files over the past year without charging extra fees.
Indiana residents gain the legal right to discover if their Social Security number appears on unfamiliar credit files and find out which companies accessed those files, helping them identify potential identity theft or cross-file errors without paying added fees.
- Consumer reporting agencies, or credit bureaus, collect and maintain credit-related information on individuals to generate consumer reports used by lenders and other entities. context
- The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act regulates credit reporting nationwide, while individual states occasionally enact supplemental protections for consumers. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
consumers
Indiana residents gain the right to request searches for mismatched Social Security number files and receive detailed disclosure reports without paying additional fees.
consumer reporting agencies
Nationwide credit bureaus must verify consumer identity and consent with the Social Security Administration, conduct cross-file searches, provide detailed inquiry histories, and refrain from charging search-related fees.
Social Security Administration
Key Facts
- Beginning December 31, 2026, nationwide consumer reporting agencies must fulfill a consumer's Social Security number search request if the agency maintains a file on the consumer, receives proper identification, and obtains written and signed consent (including electronic consent).
- Proper identification for a search request requires the consumer's Social Security number, first and last name, and date of birth.
- In fulfilling a search request, the credit bureau must verify the Social Security number with the federal Social Security Administration and search all files to determine if the number is associated with files not belonging to the consumer.
- If mismatched files are found, the credit bureau must disclose the number of such files and identify every person or company that procured a consumer report connected to those files in the preceding one-year period.
Show all 7 facts
- Disclosures for persons who procured reports on mismatched files must include their name, trade name, address, telephone number, and whether they reported information or account numbers to the credit bureau.
- Consumer reporting agencies are prohibited from charging additional fees, increasing existing fees, or charging fees for requests made under 15 U.S.C. 1681g that include a Social Security number search request.
- The law applies to consumers whose principal residence is in Indiana, including protected consumers and their representatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information do I need to provide to request a Social Security number search?
Can credit bureaus charge me extra for conducting this search?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 6, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst reading: referred to Committee on Financial Institutions
- Jan 6, 2026HouseAuthored by Representative Lauer
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
State-Level Mandate on Credit File Disclosures
The bill creates a specific state statutory requirement for nationwide consumer reporting agencies operating in Indiana to provide cross-file Social Security number matches and inquiry histories, complementing federal credit reporting statutes.
Connected Entities
Sources
iga.in.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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