You're probably are wondering what do air conditioners and dual-pane windows have to do with identity theft? If you finance home improvements through your local utility, your Social Security number becomes public record in California.

Uniform Commercial Code financing statements involving real estate improvements are filed with California's 58 county recorders. The statements include the borrower's Social Security number.

This is clearly a gap in public records privacy protection. It was also discovered how state tax liens expose Social Security numbers. As a result California officials with the Franchise Tax Board have begun masking the numbers.

Assembly Bill 1168 prohibits the inclusion of Social Security numbers in recorded documents and imposes a $1 fee on new recordings to pay for Social Security numbers to be masked on older documents.

The legislation awaits Gov. Schwarzenegger's signature.

So what should you do in the meantime. Check with the courthouse in your area to see if social security numbers are on public documents. If you find that's the case speak with your county supervisors or Mayor to have them draft legislation to have the information masked.