HCS HB 1888 -- PAWNSHOPS

SPONSOR:  Liese (Barnitz)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Banks and
Financial Institutions by a vote of 18 to 1.

This substitute requires pawnbrokers to provide transaction
information to law enforcement officials to aid in the
investigation of property crimes.  The information will be
maintained on a database, which will be available over the
Internet to law enforcement agencies for a fee.  Pawnbrokers can
transmit the required information electronically and will not be
charged a fee for the creation or maintenance of the database.

Any person who accesses the database through fraud or false
pretenses is guilty of a class C felony.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to General Revenue Fund of
Unknown in FY 2003, FY 2004, and FY 2005.  Fiscal impact is not
expected to exceed $100,000 annually.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that going through pawnshop
transactions by hand is nearly impossible.  The bill will help
victims get their property back, will allow searches across
jurisdictions, and will eliminate pawnbrokers' liability for
privacy.  The database can only be accessed by law enforcement.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Barnitz and Abel;
Columbia Police Department; Missouri Chiefs of Police; Missouri
Pawnbrokers Association; and Leadsonline.org.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Mark Pioli, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated October 11, 2002 at 9:02 am