The state is making a solid start at what appears to be a never-ending chore: staying ahead of criminals who steal their victims' personal data and the money linked to it.

It's unclear why Hawai'i residents should have to cope with an above-average incidence of such "identity theft" crimes; this state ranks fifth in the nation.

Some guess that cultural factors might contribute to a more relaxed attitude about requests for personal data — name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information — that compromises our collective security.

No matter. What's obvious is that we need to revisit the laws that should be protecting us.

So it was encouraging to hear Gov. Linda Lingle and law-enforcement officials list four new proposed laws, refinements that attack the problem by securing more consumer information, or at least requiring authorization for its release.

For example, a new proposal would empower consumers to place a freeze on credit reports, stopping their release without consent. Another would compel businesses to maintain data more securely and destroy it when it's not needed. A third would bar transmission of Social Security numbers without consent.

Finally, a fourth proposal would see that consumers are notified if a security breach leaves their personal data vulnerable.

All of these are good ideas, as are the plans for a public education campaign. Already the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has a useful Web site (www.idtheft.hawaii.gov) offering self-protection tips and advice on recovering from identity theft.

Among them are suggestions that consumers shred their own discarded documents, leave nothing sensitive in the sidewalk mailbox and otherwise take precautions.

Scammers target the elderly in particular, so they and their loved ones especially need advice on deflecting suspicious bids for private information.

But lawmakers also need to go over the penal code sections that apply to theft and fraud and harden the consequences. This means that the thieves themselves should be hit with adequate punishment, and the companies that fail to comply with new safeguards should pay the price for their violations.

With the easy sharing of information, identity theft can happen to anyone — and all of us bear responsibility for reining in the problem.