Snooping State Workers

Now Face Prosecution

HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut officials say new measures are in place to deter state employees from browsing people’s confidential tax records.

The Department of Revenue Services says all workers caught snooping tax records without a legitimate reason will be referred for criminal prosecution, and taxpayers will now be notified when their tax information is improperly accessed.

The agency had been making criminal referrals only in certain cases and handling many cases administratively as personnel matters. State law says anyone convicted of illegally accessing tax records faces up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

The new policies were prompted by the theft of a state worker’s laptop computer, which contained confidential information of more than 100,000 taxpayers.