North Dakota consumers soon will have an extra precaution available against identity theft - the ability to block access to their credit information.

The state House on Tuesday unanimously gave final legislative approval to a bill that allows North Dakotans to ask the nation's three primary credit reporting agencies for a "security freeze" on their credit files.

A frozen file normally cannot be accessed without the customer's permission. Identity thieves rely on such access to use another customer's name to obtain credit and buy goods.

During House debate, Rep. Don Clark, R-Fargo, called the measure "a very significant piece of consumer protection legislation." The bill now moves to Gov. John Hoeven for his signature.

Most bills approved by the Legislature take effect Aug. 1. But the security freeze measure included an emergency clause, which will allow it to take effect June 1.

"This protection is the best available tool that we have to deprive the thieves of what they need, and that is the credit history," Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said.

Twenty-five states now have similar freeze laws in effect, according to Consumers Union, a consumer advocacy group based in Yonkers, N.Y. In July, security freezes are taking effect in Montana, New Mexico, West Virginia and Wyoming, and one takes effect in Utah in July 2008, Consumers Union said.

Security freezes are commonly requested of the nation's three largest credit reporting agencies - TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.

Under the North Dakota bill, a consumer who has been an identity theft victim may request a freeze at no charge, by mail, telephone or electronic mail. North Dakotans who want to freeze their credit information as a precaution may be charged $5 by each of the three agencies.

Credit agencies have 48 hours to implement the freeze for an identity theft victim, the bill says. The response time is shortened to 24 hours on Aug. 1, 2009. For North Dakotans who ask for the freeze as a precaution, it must be in place within three days.

A security freeze may be temporarily or permanently lifted at the consumer's request, the bill says. Unfreezing one's account may take three days and cost another $5.

The bill is HB1417.