117 STAT. 1972
(d) RULEMAKING REQUIRED.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall prescribe regulations applicable to consumer reporting agencies described in section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, to require the establishment of— (A) a centralized source through which consumers may obtain a consumer report from each such consumer reporting agency, using a single request, and without charge to the consumer, as provided in section 612(a) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (as amended by this section); and (B) a standardized form for a consumer to make such a request for a consumer report by mail or through an Internet website. (2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In prescribing regulations under paragraph (1), the Commission shall consider— (A) the significant demands that may be placed on consumer reporting agencies in providing such consumer reports; (B) appropriate means to ensure that consumer reporting agencies can satisfactorily meet those demands, including the efficacy of a system of staggering the availability to consumers of such consumer reports; and (C) the ease by which consumers should be able to contact consumer reporting agencies with respect to access to such consumer reports. (3) CENTRALIZED SOURCE.—The centralized source for a request for a consumer report from a consumer required by this subsection shall provide for— (A) a toll-free telephone number for such purpose; (B) use of an Internet website for such purpose; and (C) a process for requests by mail for such purpose. (4) TRANSITION.—The regulations of the Commission under paragraph (1) shall provide for an orderly transition by consumer reporting agencies described in section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to the centralized source for consumer report distribution required by section 612(a)(1)(B), as amended by this section, in a manner that— (A) does not temporarily overwhelm such consumer reporting agencies with requests for disclosures of consumer reports beyond their capacity to deliver; and (B) does not deny creditors, other users, and consumers access to consumer reports on a time-sensitive basis for specific purposes, such as home purchases or suspicions of identity theft, during the transition period. (5) TIMING.—Regulations required by this subsection shall— (A) be issued in final form not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act; and (B) become effective not later than 6 months after the date on which they are issued in final form. (6) SCOPE OF REGULATIONS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall, by rule, determine whether to require a consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on substantially a nationwide basis, other than one described in section
15 USC 1681j note.
Deadline. Effective date.
VerDate 11-MAY-2000
10:15 Aug 27, 2004
PUBLIC LAW 108–159—DEC. 4, 2003
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