Michael A Costello

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Michael Costello (born May 5, 1965) is a State Representative for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, who represents the first district of Essex county. Costello graduated from Salem State College in 1989 with a Bachelors of Science, and from Suffolk University Law School with his Juris Doctor in 1996. Costello has been serving in the House since 2003.

Costello currently serves as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. During the 2005-2006 legislative session, he served as Vice-Chairman for the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight.

Costello has taken a leadership role in trying to pass legislation to protect against identity theft. He was worked with MassPirg on legislation that would give Massachusetts consumers the ability to place a permanent credit freeze on file with credit bureaus and require mandatory notice of security breaches within 5 business days. Costello's bill has been referred to The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection.

Costello has also filed a separate bill that would require retailers to reimburse banks for: reissuing credit cards, closing or freezing account assets and fraudlent charges made as a result of security breeches. The bill received national attention following the security breech at TJX Companies, the largest in Massachusetts history. Stories about Costello's identity theft bill appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press and on National Public Radio.