The law, which applies to all businesses, government offices and individuals, requires that paper and electronic information be destroyed prior to disposal. 

Violations of the destruction requirement are subject to a civil fine of not more than $100 per individual record, but the fine is capped at $50,000. 

In addition, the attorney general may file a civil action in the superior or district court in the name of Massachusetts to recover such penalties. 

This brings the number of states with secure destruction laws to fifteen. 

FACTA – The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act was in full swing by November 2004. It is designed to protect consumer rights by requiring that consumer information is destroyed before it is discarded. The goal is to prevent identity theft through destroying all pertinent consumer information (i.e. Social Security, credit information, name and address).

HIPPA – The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, was passed by US Congress in 1996. Requires entities handling health related information to document their policies defining the measures they have implemented to prevent unauthorized access to patient information. The HIPAA legislation states that “reasonable and appropriate, technical and physical safeguards” must be taken “to prevent intentional or unintentional use or disclosure of protected health care information”.

GRAMM-LEACH-BLILEY ACT – The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act went into full compliance on July 1st 2001. Designed for financial services industry, it sets limits on the sharing of client information on a national level; it governs disclosure of privacy policies to customers and consumers, and requires that the industry disclose privacy and information sharing policies to customers and consumers. Non-compliance can lead to civil penalties ($100,000 per violation) and criminal penalties (5 years of incarceration).

U.S. Supreme Court (California v. Greenwood) -- Dumpster Diving” not illegal. Any information that is placed in the dumpster is public Domain. The case was decided by the SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, 486 U.S. 35 on January 11, 1988. Additionally, the Fourth Appellate District Court of California also heard the case. Both courts held that the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the warrant less search and seizure of garbage left for collection outside the curtilage of a home.

ITPEA - The Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, was signed in 2004. It made identity theft a federal crime.

EEA - The Economic Espionage Act - The Economic Espionage Act was the first federal law that brought about unsympathetic sentences regarding whomever: steals, misappropriates, takes, conceals, by fraud, artifice, deception obtains a trade secret (etc). Non-compliance can lead to and organization being fined up to $10,000,000. If one or more of persons commit such an offence they can be fined up to $500,000 or be imprisoned up to 15 years.