Consumers would get new tools to fight identity theft under a bill the Senate approved Wednesday.

The Consumer Identity Theft Protection Act would let consumers get free credit reports and court help when they discover that someone has fraudulently used their identification to get credit.

"For those people who have had their identity stolen, they can expect to have some assistance, and hopefully it won't take them several years -- which is what happens now -- to redeem their good name," said state Sen. Linda Short, D-Chester, and the bill's sponsor.

The bill also would require information about fraudulent accounts to be deleted from victims' reports. And credit card companies would have to verify change of address requests.

"That's one of the easiest ways for someone to steal your identity," Short said. "We get a million of those things, and so many people just trash them without tearing them up. What you need to do is shred them."

The bill heads to the House, where a similar Senate bill died last year.

Senate Confirms Kerr As Agency Director

The S.C. Senate has confirmed Robert M. Kerr as director of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Kerr, 42, has served as chief financial officer at the department since 1999. He also has served as director of internal audit and compliance during his 17 years with the Cabinet-level agency.

The 1981 USC graduate takes over an agency with a budget of $3.7 billion. The department oversees Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor.