UST (202) 305-7411WWW.USDOJ.GOV
TDD (202) 514-1888
DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON
STUDY OF FINANCIAL PRIVACY AND BANKRUPTCY
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The deadline for submitting public comment on privacy protection and the treatment of sensitive financial information in consumer bankruptcy cases has been extended from Sept. 8, 2000, to Sept. 22, 2000, the Department of Justice announced today. The deadline has been changed in response to requests for more time to complete comments.
In April, the President announced the Clinton-Gore Plan to enhance consumers' financial privacy, including a study of privacy needs of debtors in bankruptcy to be conducted by the Department of Justice, the Department of Treasury, and the Office of Management and Budget. The study agencies announced July 26 that they were seeking public comment on how to protect privacy in consumer bankruptcy cases.
The study will examine how the privacy interests of debtors in personal bankruptcy cases are affected by the public availability of information those debtors submit as part of the bankruptcy process. The study also will examine the need for public access to information filed in bankruptcy cases. The study will focus on the impact of changes in business practices and technology, with respect to bankruptcy-related data held in the public record as well as data held by trustees administering bankruptcy cases.
The new deadline will appear in the Federal Register shortly and will be posted on the Justice Department web site at: www.usdoj.gov/ust/privacy/privacy.htm.
Detailed information about the study and the nature of public comment sought by the agencies is available at that web site and at 65 Fed.Reg. 46735 (July 31, 2000).Comments should be sent in writing or in electronic form to: Leander Barnhill, Office of General Counsel, Executive Office for United States Trustees, 901 E Street, NW, Suite 780, Washington D.C. 20530.
Electronic submissions should be sent by email to: USTPrivacy.Study@usdoj.gov.
The Executive Office for United States Trustees is a component of the Justice Department that monitors the administration of bankruptcy cases nationwide.
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