Rep. Steube Leads House Effort To Protect Small Businesses Attacked By Hackers
From Tampa Free Press
Article By Liam Edgar, Original Publish Date: May 8, 2023
Rep. Greg Steube recently unveiled an effort to help small businesses in case of a data breach.
Steube filed the Small Business Credit Protection Act last week, which would mandate that credit reporting companies create protections for small businesses.
In a press release, the Sarasota Republican called the reforms “much-needed” because of the burdens small business owners face in such situations.
Under the bill, credit bureaus would be required to notify small business owners if their non-public personal data has been breached. The bill would also preclude credit bureaus from charging those businesses for a credit report requested within six months of a breach.
According to Steube’s office, small businesses must pay to access their credit reports after a breach. Typically, the fee runs between $40 to $100.
Finally, the bill also would require the Government Accountability Office to submit reports on the economic harm that data breaches cause small businesses.
“Data breaches continue to plague consumers across America. Congress has attempted to protect consumers from these events, but unfortunately, nothing has been done to protect our small businesses,” Steube said in a statement.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies. This legislation is needed to ensure small businesses have the tools to navigate recovery from a data breach.”
Steube filed the measure to complement one offered in the Senate by GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
“The federal government must uphold the trust that Americans need to fully participate in our economy,” Rubio said in a statement.
This bill, he added, “would ensure that small businesses receive protections in cases of a security breach.”
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