North Dakota consumers should have the option of cutting off most access to their own credit files as a safeguard against identity theft, the state Senate has decided.

Sen. John Andrist, R-Crosby, said at least 28 states offer versions of the "credit freeze," either to stop identity theft or as a way for a customer to try to prevent it.

Senators voted 42-0 on Friday to approve the bill. It was changed during Senate work on the legislation, and it now moves back to the House to see if representatives agree with the amendments.

Identity thieves use a person's personal information to try to establish credit in the person's name. A credit freeze is a roadblock to criminals because a company that is asked to extend credit normally checks the customer's credit before approving a purchase. If a file is frozen, it cannot be used to extend new credit.

"The bill permits identity theft victims to freeze this information without charge to prevent collateral damage when their credit file has been compromised," Andrist said. "It also permits others who have not been victimized to freeze, or unfreeze, their information."

The legislation says a person who is an identity theft victim may obtain a credit freeze without charge from any of the three primary credit-reporting agencies - Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

The bill is HB1417.