The California Seismic Safety Commission was established to advise the Governor, Legislature, and state and local governments on ways to reduce earthquake risk. In fulfilling that mission, the Commission’s conforms to the requirements of the Information Practices Act (Civil Code Section 1798 et seq.), the Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250 et seq.), Government Code Sections 11015.5 and 11019.9, and other applicable laws pertaining to information privacy.
The Commission adheres to the following principles in collecting and managing personal information:
- The Commission collects personal information on individuals only as allowed by law. The Commission limits the collection of personal information to what is relevant and necessary to accomplish a lawful purpose of the Commission, as defined in Government Code Sections 8870-8870.95. For example, the Commission invites public comments on its publications and on its website and may need to know an individual’s home address, e-mail address, or telephone number, in order to answer the individual’s questions or to provide requested assistance. Personal information, as defined in the Information Practices Act, includes information that identifies or describes an individual including, name, Social Security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history.
- The Commission does not collect home, business or e-mail addresses, or account information from persons who simply browse the Commission’s Internet web sites. The Office collects personal information about individuals through the Commission’s web site only if an individual provides such information to the Commission voluntarily through e-mail, registration forms, or surveys. The information that the Commission automatically collects includes the domain name or Internet Protocol address that relates to the machine used to access the Commission’s web sites, the type of browser and operating system used, the date and time when the web site is visited, web pages displayed, and any forms that are uploaded. The Commissions uses session cookies, simple text files stored temporarily on a visitor’s computer by a web browser, to enable easy movement through the site. The information collected in this manner is not subject to requests made pursuant to the Public Records Act., and site visitors may request to have their information discarded without reuse or distribution. To make such a request, contact the Commission at 916-263-5506.
- The Commission uses Google Analytics to help improve its web site. The Commission uses Google Analytics to help understand how visitors interact with the web site so that the site can be improved. The Commission does not allow Google to share information collected by Google Analytics. The Commission implements IP masking to provide all visitors with anonymity. You can read the privacy policy for Google Analytics. You can chose not to have your data collected by Google Analytics by downloading their opt-out browser add-on.
- The Commission endeavors in each instance to tell people who provide personal information to the Commission the purpose for which the information is collected. The Commission strives to tell persons, who are asked to provide personal information, about the general uses that Commission will make of that information. The Commission does this at the time of collection. With each request for personal information, the Commission provides information on the authority under which the request is made, the principal uses the Commission intends to make of the information and the possible disclosures the Commission may make to other government agencies and to the public.
- The Commission provides people who provide personal information with an opportunity to review that information. The Commission allows individuals, who provide personal information, to review the information and contest its accuracy or completeness.
- The Commission uses personal information only for the specified purposes, or purposes consistent with those purposes, unless the Commission obtains the consent of the subject of the information, or unless required or allowed by law or regulation. The Public Records Act exists to ensure that California government is open and that the public has a right to have access to appropriate records and information possessed by many state and local government agencies. At the same time, there are exceptions to the laws that recognize the public’s right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs, including maintaining the privacy of individuals. In the event of a conflict between this Policy and the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act or other law governing the disclosure of records, the applicable law will control.
- The Commission uses information security safeguards. Regarding the personal information of individuals collected or maintained by the Commission, the Commission takes reasonable precautions to protect such information against loss, unauthorized access, and illegal use or disclosure. The Commission’s staff is trained on procedures for the management of personal information, including limitations on the release of information. Access to personal information is limited to those members of the Commission’s staff whose work requires such access. Confidential information is destroyed according to the Commission’s records retention schedule. The Commission conducts periodic reviews to ensure that proper information management policies and procedures are understood and followed.
- The Commission will provide additional explanations of this privacy policy, if requested. If any individuals have any further questions about the Commission’s privacy policy, they are encouraged to contact the Seismic Safety Commission at 916-263-5506, or by e-mail to info@ssc.ca.gov