MADIGAN,L. New Act Creates the Personal Information Protection Act. Requires credit reporting agencies to accept security alerts from consumers via a toll-free telephone number, and allows a consumer to request a reporting agency to impose a security freeze on release of any information from his or her file. Requires a consumer credit reporting agency to place a security alert in a consumer credit report within 72 hours after receiving a request to do so and to notify persons using consumer credit reports of the existence of a security alert. Provides for the security alert to remain in effect for at least 90 days and that a consumer may renew it. Requires a consumer credit reporting agency to place a security freeze on a consumer credit report within 72 hours after receiving a request to do so in writing and prohibits the release of information from a consumer credit report while the freeze is in place. Effective immediately. FEB-07-2002 S FIRST READING FEB-07-2002 S REFERRED TO SENATE RULES COMMITTEE RULES JAN-07-2003 S SESSION SINE DIE END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Summary