Omnibus Right to Privacy Act of 1979

Omnibus Right to Privacy Act of 1979 - Title I: Federal Information Practices Board - Federal Information and Privacy Board Act of 1979 - Establishes the Federal Information Practices Board to conduct continuing oversight of the effect of private and governmental data collection activities on the rights and privileges of individuals. Directs the Board to investigate compliance with Federal laws affecting information practices including laws pertaining to: (1) privacy; (2) freedom of information; (3) fair credit reporting and billing; and (4) government in the sunshine.

Title II: Privacy Act Amendments - Privacy Act Amendments of 1979 - Requires Federal agencies to make available to individuals the accessible records they request and any similar or derivative versions of such records. Requires the agency to account to the individual for the actual uses and disclosures made of such record, including other recipients of such record. Specifies limitations on disclosures of such records to third parties, on collection, and on maintenance of such information.

Requires Federal agencies to notify sources and prior recipients of all corrections to or statements of disagreements with individually identifiable records. Directs Federal agencies to reconsider any determinations based on erroneous information after receipt of a correction or statement of disagreement.

Prohibits Federal action that would foster the development of a standard universal personnel identifier based on social security numbers of otherwise or of a central population register unless specifically provided by statute.

Title III: Personal Records - Protection of Personal Records Act - Sets forth procedures to be used for disclosure of consumer reports or credit, financial, toll, or insurance records by a third-party recordkeeper to a Federal officer, employee, or agent, provided such information is obtained pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Includes among the means through which information may be disclosed: (1) written authorization by the person to whom the information relates; (2) administrative subpena; (3) search warrant; (4) judicial subpena; and (5) grand jury subpena.

Specifies prerequisite findings and other conditions for the issuance of administrative, judicial, and grand jury subpenas.

Prohibits obtaining papers or other personal effects which contain intimate information, including the business records of a sole proprietor, from an individual or third-party recordkeeper by means of administrative subpena, judicial subpena, or search warrant.

Title IV: Financial Assistance Records - Privacy of Public Assistance and Social Services Records Act of 1979 - Requires each State, as a condition for the receipt of Federal moneys for public assistance or social services programs, to provide for the privacy of records used in the administering of such programs. Subjects such State privacy laws to the certification of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare as meeting the principles specified in this Act. Requires, in accordance with such principles, the provision of access to information by the subject of such information, the correction and accuracy of such information and the establishment of appropriate remedies and penalties for the enforcement of such statute.

Title V: Medical Records - Privacy of Medical Records Act - Requires medical care facilities to permit individuals to inspect and have copies of their medical records. Provides for the correction of medical records at the individual's request. Prohibits the disclosure of medical records: (1) unless the person requesting it is properly identified; (2) beyond the extent needed; and (3) without the individual's authorization unless the disclosure meets specified conditions.

Conditions a medical care facility's participation in Medicare and Medicaid on compliance with this title. Permits the parent or guardian of a minor child to exercise the child's rights under this title in most circumstances. Exempts certain medical care facilities from the provisions concerning the right to privacy of government records.

Title VI: Fair Credit Reporting Act Amendments - Fair Credit Reporting Act Privacy Amendments - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to make specified restrictions on disclosures of information respecting a consumer by credit reporting agencies applicable to independent authorization services. Defines such services as any persons who regularly engage in whole or in part in the practice of providing consumer credit information or other credit- related information on consumers to third persons, or guarantee the payment to payor banks of checks signed by consumers.

Requires credit card issuers to maintain reasonable procedures to prevent disclosures of inaccurate information.

Prohibits any credit reporting agency from making any consumer report respecting any consumer which contains information identifying any person to whom a previous consumer report respecting such consumer has been furnished.

Requires a credit grantor to disclose, upon request, specified information to a consumer who is adversely affected by a credit decision. Sets forth procedures to be followed when a consumer disputes the completeness or accuracy of any item of information contained in such consumer's file.

Requires each commercial reporting service to maintain reasonable procedures designed to avoid the disclosure of inaccurate information to third persons and to assure that information maintained in its files is accurate.

Sets standards to be followed by depository institutions with respect to the gathering of any information concerning a consumer, including disclosure to the consumer of all types of information which may be collected and all types of institutions which may collect such information. Requires a depository institution to inform the consumer whenever it makes an adverse decision respecting a depository service involving such consumer.

Establishes safeguards for holders of insurance policies against errors of the insurance institution and violation of the privacy of such holders.

Directs the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate regulations requiring specified institutions to make disclosures to policy holders. Specifies which information shall be disclosed.

Makes provisions for the enforcement of this title.

Title VII: Tax Records - Confidentiality of Tax Records Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to restrict or prohibit the disclosure of taxpayer return information in matters pertaining to: prospective jurors; State tax enforcement; investigations of prospective Federal appointees; child support enforcement efforts; and Federal enforcement of nontax laws.

Title VIII: Educational Privacy Rights - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Amendments of 1979 - Amends the General Education Provisions Act to require educational agencies or institutions to adopt a written policy providing for protection of the privacy of personal information, including guidelines regarding: (1) access to student records; (2) the right to challenge such records and include clarifying material; (3) types of information that may be released with or without consent; (4) student and parental participation in formulating such privacy policies; and (5) enforcement.