CHICAGO, May 11 (UPI) -- California passed a law to protect consumers from identity theft two years ago, when the issue first was seen as an Internet social problem, and now security breaches at ChoicePoint and Time Warner are prompting attorneys general in other states to press for comparable legislation.

Legal and technology experts told UPI's The Web, however, it might be better public policy to wait for the federal government to pass further ID theft protection legislation -- which Congress is considering -- than to create a hodgepodge of possibly conflicting state and local laws.

Congress this week holds hearings over whether to make credit card companies and third-party data providers adhere to the same regulations that govern banks and other financial services companies. By Gene Koprowski