NAPO Briefings on Capitol Hill - Drivers Privacy Protection Act

September 5, 2013

Today, NAPO provided briefings on the most recent amendment to the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to staffers who work for the following members of Congress:  Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Congressman Dennis Ross (R-FL), and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).  NAPO used each of the meetings to stress the negative impacts of the recent DPPA amendment on the law enforcement community, and to propose modifications to the amendment. 

The DPPA requires state motor vehicle departments to receive permission from individuals before their personal motor vehicle record may be sold or released.  The DPPA amendment authorizes a private right of action for knowing violations, and a court may award damages in the amount of $2,500 for each time a record was accessed, as well as attorney fees and other litigation costs.  Law enforcement officers are subject to these stringent punishments, even if they did not review files with criminal intent.

Each of the staffers was receptive to our proposed language modifications to the DPPA amendment, which include adding a clause that explains that penalties will be applied only if persons access information with the specific intent to secure an economic benefit.  Also, NAPO proposes removing the $2,500 penalty for a violation of this act, as well as adding a statement that explains there must be repeated disregard of this law for action to be taken.  If the language is not modified, law enforcement officers will be subject to large fines, and even the loss of their licenses for de minimus actions.

Next week, NAPO will provide briefings on the DPPA amendment to staffers who work for the following members of Congress:  Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Congressman Daniel Webster (R-FL), and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). 

NAPO will continue to aggressively lobby members of Congress to gain support for our proposed language changes to the DPPA amendment, and provide regular status updates to our members. 

If you have any questions about the DPPA, please contact Melissa Nee at:  mnee@napo.org.