PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 21, 2012
Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2012 - Requires commercial entities that acquire, maintain, store, or utilize personal information (covered entities) to take reasonable measures to protect and secure data in electronic form containing personal information.
Directs a covered entity that owns or licenses such data to give notice of any breach of the security of the system that the entity reasonably believes has caused or will cause identity theft or other financial harm to each individual: (1) who is a U.S. citizen or resident; and (2) whose personal information was, or that the covered entity reasonably believes has been, accessed and acquired by an unauthorized person.
Requires a covered entity to notify the Secret Service or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of a security breach of personal information involving more than 10,000 individuals.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Requires a third-party entity contracted to maintain, store, or process data containing personal information to notify the covered entity of a breach of security of a system. Requires a service provider to notify the covered entity if it becomes aware of a breach of security involving personal information owned or possessed by a covered entity and if such covered entity can be reasonably identified.
Allows delays of notifications to avoid impeding a civil or criminal investigation or threatening national or homeland security.
Sets forth the methods for notification under this Act.
Preempts information security practices of the Communications Act applicable to telecommunication carriers, satellite operators, and cable operators.
Sets forth civil monetary penalties for violations of this Act.
Exempts financial institutions and entities subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
People & committees
Sen. Toomey, Patrick [R-PA] · R–PA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze S.3333 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.3333 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine S.3333 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine S.3333 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.