Senate Bill 1820c2

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    Florida Senate - 1999                    CS for CS for SB 1820

    By the Committees on Criminal Justice; Banking and Insurance;
    and Senator Campbell




    307-2008-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to pawnbroking, secondhand

  3         dealers, and stolen property; amending s.

  4         539.001, F.S.; defining terms; modifying

  5         findings required of the Division of Consumer

  6         Services of the Department of Agriculture and

  7         Consumer Services for orders imposing

  8         penalties; requiring approval of pawnbroker

  9         transaction forms; revising content of such

10         forms; revising recordkeeping requirements for

11         pawnbrokers to provide that the sheriff or the

12         director of the department of public safety is

13         designated as the central repository for copies

14         of all pawnbroker transaction forms collected

15         by law enforcement officials; providing for

16         submission of pawnbroker transaction forms to

17         the sheriff or public safety director upon

18         request; requiring pawnbrokers to computerize

19         their records by a specified date; providing

20         for a statewide system for collecting and

21         accessing pawnshop ticket and second-hand

22         dealer information; designating the sheriffs as

23         administrators of the system; providing

24         authorized law enforcement officials access to

25         the database; designating the sheriffs' offices

26         as central repositories responsible for the

27         transfer of information to the statewide

28         database; providing that the sheriffs, in

29         consultation with the Florida Police Chiefs and

30         the Department of Law Enforcement, must

31         establish standards for transmitting

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  1         information into the statewide system;

  2         providing for fees; limiting the scope of

  3         certain database searches; prescribing certain

  4         prohibited acts; modifying procedures for hold

  5         orders; amending s. 539.003, F.S.; deleting an

  6         exception to confidentiality of records of

  7         pawnbroker transactions; amending s. 538.04,

  8         F.S.; providing for electronic transfer of

  9         transactions of secondhand goods; authorizing

10         law enforcement agencies to provide a

11         secondhand dealer with a computer and necessary

12         equipment for the electronic transfer of

13         transactions of secondhand goods; providing

14         procedures with respect to the electronic

15         transfer of transactions of secondhand goods;

16         providing for severability; providing an

17         effective date.

18

19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

20

21         Section 1.  Subsections (2), (8), (9), and (16),

22  paragraph (a) of subsection (7), paragraph (b) of subsection

23  (11), and paragraphs (b), (l), and (m) of subsection (12) of

24  section 539.001, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

25         539.001  The Florida Pawnbroking Act.--

26         (2)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:

27         (a)  "Agency" means the Division of Consumer Services

28  of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

29         (b)  "Amount financed" is used interchangeably to mean

30  "amount of money advanced" or "principal amount."

31

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  1         (c)(b)  "Appropriate law enforcement official" means

  2  the sheriff of the county in which a pawnshop is located or,

  3  in case of a pawnshop located within a municipality, the

  4  police chief of the municipality in which the pawnshop is

  5  located; however, any sheriff or police chief may designate as

  6  the appropriate law enforcement official for the county or

  7  municipality, as applicable, any law enforcement officer

  8  working within the county or municipality headed by that

  9  sheriff or police chief. Nothing in this subsection limits the

10  power and responsibilities of the sheriff.

11         (d)(c)  "Claimant" means a person who claims that his

12  or her property was misappropriated.

13         (e)(d)  "Conveying customer" means a person who

14  delivers property into the custody of a pawnbroker, either by

15  pawn, sale, consignment, or trade.

16         (f)(e)  "Identification" means a government-issued

17  photographic identification or an electronic image taken from

18  a government-issued photographic identification.

19         (g)(f)  "Misappropriated" means stolen, embezzled,

20  converted, or otherwise wrongfully appropriated against the

21  will of the rightful owner.

22         (h)(g)  "Net worth" means total assets less total

23  liabilities.

24         (i)(h)  "Pawn" means any advancement of funds on the

25  security of pledged goods on condition that the pledged goods

26  are left in the possession of the pawnbroker for the duration

27  of the pawn and may be redeemed by the pledgor on the terms

28  and conditions contained in this section.

29         (j)(i)  "Pawnbroker" means any person who is engaged in

30  the business of making pawns; who makes a public display

31  containing the term "pawn," "pawnbroker," or "pawnshop" or any

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  1  derivative thereof; or who publicly displays a sign or symbol

  2  historically identified with pawns.  A pawnbroker may also

  3  engage in the business of purchasing goods which includes

  4  consignment and trade.

  5         (k)(j)  "Pawnbroker transaction form" means the

  6  instrument on which a pawnbroker records pawns and purchases

  7  as provided in subsection (8).

  8         (l)(k)  "Pawn service charge" means a charge for

  9  investigating the title, storage, and insuring of the

10  security; closing the transaction; making daily reports to

11  appropriate law enforcement officials; expenses and losses;

12  and all other services.

13         (m)(l)  "Pawnshop" means the location at which a

14  pawnbroker conducts business.

15         (n)(m)  "Permitted vendor" means a vendor who furnishes

16  a pawnbroker with an invoice specifying the vendor's name and

17  address, the date of the sale, a description of the items

18  sold, and the sales price, and who has an established place of

19  business, or, in the case of a secondhand dealer as defined in

20  s. 538.03, has represented in writing that such dealer has

21  complied with all applicable recordkeeping, reporting, and

22  retention requirements pertaining to goods sold or otherwise

23  delivered to a pawnbroker.

24         (o)(n)  "Person" means an individual, partnership,

25  corporation, joint venture, trust, association, or other legal

26  entity.

27         (p)(o)  "Pledged goods" means tangible personal

28  property that is deposited with, or otherwise delivered into

29  the possession of a pawnbroker in connection with a pawn.

30  "Pledged goods" does not include titles or any other form of

31  written security in tangible property in lieu of actual

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  1  physical possession, including, but not limited to, choses in

  2  action, securities, printed evidence of indebtedness, or

  3  certificates of title and other instruments evidencing title

  4  to separate items of property, including motor vehicles. For

  5  purposes of federal and state bankruptcy laws, a pledgor's

  6  interest in his or her pledged goods during the pendency of a

  7  pawn is a right of redemption only.

  8         (q)(p)  "Pledgor" means an individual who delivers

  9  pledged goods into the possession of a pawnbroker in

10  connection with a pawn.

11         (r)(q)  "Purchase" means the transfer and delivery of

12  goods, by a person other than a permitted vendor, to a

13  pawnbroker by acquisition for value, consignment, or trade for

14  other goods.

15         (s)(r)  "Amount financed" is used interchangeably to

16  mean the same as "amount of money advanced" or "principal

17  amount".

18         (t)(s)  "Default date" means that date upon which the

19  pledgor's right of redemption expires and absolute right,

20  title, and interest in and to the pledged goods shall vest in

21  and shall be deemed conveyed to the pawnbroker by operation of

22  law.

23         (u)(t)  "Beneficial owner" means a person who does not

24  have title to property but has rights in the property which

25  are the normal incident of owning the property.

26         (v)(u)  "Operator" means a person who has charge of a

27  corporation or company and has control of its business, or of

28  its branch establishments, divisions, or departments, and who

29  is vested with a certain amount of discretion and independent

30  judgment.

31         (7)  ORDERS IMPOSING PENALTIES.--

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  1         (a)  The agency may enter an order imposing one or more

  2  of the penalties set forth in paragraph (b) if the agency

  3  finds that a pawnbroker:

  4         1.  Violated or is operating in violation of any of the

  5  provisions of this section or of the rules adopted or orders

  6  issued thereunder;

  7         2.  Made a material false statement in any application,

  8  document, or record required to be submitted or retained under

  9  this section;

10         3.  Refused or failed, or any of its principal officers

11  has refused or failed, after notice, to produce any document

12  or records or disclose any information required to be produced

13  or disclosed under this section or the rules of the agency;

14         4.  Made a material false statement in response to any

15  request or investigation by the agency, the Department of

16  Legal Affairs, or the state attorney; or

17         5.  Has intentionally defrauded the public through

18  dishonest or deceptive means.

19         (8)  PAWNBROKER TRANSACTION FORM.--

20         (a)  At the time the pawnbroker enters into any pawn or

21  purchase transaction, the pawnbroker shall complete a

22  pawnbroker transaction form for such transaction, including an

23  indication of whether the transaction is a pawn or a purchase,

24  and the pledgor or seller shall sign such completed form. The

25  agency must approve the design and format of the pawnbroker

26  transaction form, which must be 8 1/2  inches x 11 inches in

27  size and elicit the information required under this section.

28  In completing the pawnbroker transaction form, the pawnbroker

29  shall record the following information, which must be typed or

30  printed in black ink written indelibly and legibly in English.

31

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  1         (b)  The front of the pawnbroker transaction form must

  2  include:

  3         1.  The name and address of the pawnshop.

  4         2.  A complete and accurate printed description of the

  5  pledged goods or purchased goods, notwithstanding product

  6  identification letter codes imprinted on the form, including

  7  the following information, if applicable:

  8         a.  Brand name.

  9         b.  Model number.

10         c.  Manufacturer's serial number.

11         d.  Size.

12         e.  Color, as apparent to the untrained eye.

13         f.  Precious metal type, weight, and content, if known.

14         g.  Gemstone description, including the number of

15  stones.

16         h.  In the case of firearms, the type of action,

17  caliber or gauge, number of barrels, barrel length, and

18  finish.

19         i.  Any other unique identifying marks, numbers, names,

20  or letters.

21

22  Notwithstanding sub-subparagraphs a.-i., in the case of

23  multiple items of a similar nature delivered together in one

24  transaction which do not bear serial or model numbers and

25  which do not include precious metal or gemstones, such as

26  musical or video recordings, books, and hand tools, the

27  description of the items is adequate if it contains the

28  quantity of items and a description of the type of items

29  delivered.

30         3.  The name, the current address, home telephone

31  number, and place of employment, the date of birth, a physical

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  1  description, and a substantial likeness of the right

  2  thumbprint of the pledgor or seller. The thumbprint must be

  3  placed on each copy of the pawnbroker transaction form. The

  4  pledgor's address must be given verbally and the proper

  5  identification number must be recorded. The pawnbroker is not

  6  responsible for verifying any information given verbally by

  7  the pledgor or seller.

  8         4.  The date and time of the transaction.

  9         5.  The type of identification accepted from the

10  pledgor or seller, including the issuing agency and the

11  identification number.

12         6.  In the case of a pawn:

13         a.  The amount of money advanced, which must be

14  designated as the amount financed;

15         b.  The maturity date of the pawn, which must be 30

16  days after the date of the pawn;

17         c.  The last default date of redemption of the pawn and

18  the amount due on the last default date of redemption;

19         d.  The total pawn service charge payable on the

20  maturity date, which must be designated as the finance charge;

21         e.  The amount financed plus the finance charge that

22  must be paid to redeem the pledged goods on the maturity date,

23  which must be designated as the total of payments;

24         f.  The annual percentage rate, computed according to

25  the regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve Board under the

26  federal Truth in Lending Act; and

27         g.  The front or back of the pawnbroker transaction

28  form must include a statement that:

29         (I)  Any personal property pledged to a pawnbroker

30  within this state which is not redeemed within 30 days

31  following the maturity date of the pawn, if the 30th day is

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  1  not a business day, then the following business day, is

  2  automatically forfeited to the pawnbroker, and absolute right,

  3  title, and interest in and to the property vests in and is

  4  deemed conveyed to the pawnbroker by operation of law, and no

  5  further notice is necessary;

  6         (II)  The pledgor is not obligated to redeem the

  7  pledged goods; and

  8         (III)  If the pawnbroker transaction form is lost,

  9  destroyed, or stolen, the pledgor must immediately advise the

10  issuing pawnbroker in writing by certified or registered mail,

11  return receipt requested, or in person evidenced by a signed

12  receipt.

13         (IV)  A pawn may be extended upon mutual agreement of

14  the parties.

15         7.  In the case of a purchase, the amount of money paid

16  for the goods or the monetary value assigned to the goods in

17  connection with the transaction.

18         8.  A statement that the pledgor or seller of the item

19  represents and warrants that it is not stolen, that it has no

20  liens or encumbrances against it, and that the pledgor or

21  seller is the rightful owner of the goods and has the right to

22  enter into the transaction.

23         9.  The name, initials, or employee identification

24  number of the clerk completing the transaction form.

25

26  Any person who knowingly gives false verification of ownership

27  or gives a false or altered identification and who receives

28  money from a pawnbroker for goods sold or pledged commits:

29         a.  If the value of the money received is less than

30  $300, a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in

31  s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

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  1         b.  If the value of the money received is $300 or more,

  2  a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.

  3  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

  4         (9)  RECORDKEEPING; REPORTING; HOLD PERIOD.--

  5         (a)  A pawnbroker must maintain a copy of each

  6  completed pawnbroker transaction form on the pawnshop premises

  7  for at least 1 year after the date of the transaction. On or

  8  before the end of each business day, the pawnbroker must

  9  deliver to the appropriate law enforcement official the

10  original pawnbroker transaction forms for each of the

11  transactions occurring during the previous business day,

12  unless other arrangements have been agreed upon between the

13  pawnbroker and the appropriate law enforcement official. The

14  sheriff, as chief law enforcement officer of the county, or

15  the director of the department of public safety when there is

16  no sheriff, is designated as the central repository for copies

17  of all pawnbroker transaction forms collected by the

18  appropriate law enforcement official in the county. Upon

19  request by the sheriff or public safety director, the

20  appropriate law enforcement official shall submit a copy of

21  each pawnbroker transaction form to the sheriff or public

22  safety director within a time and in such form as is

23  determined by the sheriff or public safety director after

24  consultation with the appropriate law enforcement official. If

25  the original transaction form is lost or destroyed by the

26  appropriate law enforcement official, a copy may be used by

27  the pawnbroker as evidence in court. When an electronic image

28  of a pledgor or seller identification is accepted for a

29  transaction, the pawnbroker must maintain the electronic image

30  in order to meet the same recordkeeping requirements as for

31  the original transaction form. If a criminal investigation

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  1  occurs, the pawnbroker shall, upon request, provide a clear

  2  and legible copy of the image to the appropriate law

  3  enforcement official.

  4         (b)  If the appropriate law enforcement agency supplies

  5  the appropriate software and the pawnbroker presently has the

  6  computer ability, pawn transactions shall be electronically

  7  transferred. If a pawnbroker does not presently have the

  8  computer ability, the appropriate law enforcement agency may

  9  provide the pawnbroker with a computer and all necessary

10  equipment for the purpose of electronically transferring pawn

11  transactions. The appropriate law enforcement agency shall

12  retain ownership of the computer, unless otherwise agreed

13  upon. The pawnbroker shall maintain the computer in good

14  working order, ordinary wear and tear excepted. Regardless of

15  whether the appropriate law enforcement agency has provided

16  the pawnbroker with the computer hardware necessary for this

17  electronic transfer, all pawnbrokers must computerize their

18  records by July 1, 2005. These computerized records must

19  provide for the export of pawn transaction data in the file

20  format and manner specified by the sheriff for inclusion in

21  the statewide database. In the event the pawnbroker transfers

22  pawn transactions electronically, the pawnbroker is not

23  required to also deliver to the appropriate law enforcement

24  official the original or copies of the pawnbroker transaction

25  forms. For audit purposes, the appropriate law enforcement

26  official may manually collect the original or a copy of the

27  completed transaction forms for review, with those forms being

28  returned to the pawnbroker within 15 business days. The

29  appropriate law enforcement official may, for the purposes of

30  a criminal investigation, request that the pawnbroker produce

31  an original of a transaction form that has been electronically

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  1  transferred. The pawnbroker shall deliver this form to the

  2  appropriate law enforcement official within 24 hours of the

  3  request.

  4         (c)  There shall be a statewide system for collecting

  5  and accessing pawnshop ticket and second-hand dealer

  6  information as defined in chapters 538 and 539. The system

  7  shall be administered by the sheriffs and shall include the

  8  database known as the Florida Sheriffs' Property Recovery

  9  Database.  This database shall be the officially recognized

10  statewide database for all pawnshop ticket and second-hand

11  dealer information for which collection is required by law.

12         1.  Any law enforcement official who is authorized by

13  law, and who meets the requirements established by and is

14  approved by the sheriffs shall have access to the Florida

15  Sheriffs' Property Recovery Database, in a manner prescribed

16  by the sheriffs.

17         2.  In order to establish a more efficient and

18  effective system, the sheriffs, which includes the Director of

19  Public Safety in Dade County, as the chief law enforcement

20  officers of their respective counties, shall be designated as

21  the central repository agencies for all pawnshop ticket and

22  second-hand dealer information collected in their counties.

23  Any other law enforcement agency collecting this information

24  shall deliver the information, once collected, to the sheriff

25  of the county in which it is collected, which includes the

26  Director of Public Safety in Miami-Dade County, in a manner

27  prescribed by the sheriffs.  Upon receiving the information

28  the sheriffs, which includes the Director of Public Safety in

29  Miami-Dade County, shall cause the information to be

30  transferred to the Florida Sheriffs' Property Recovery

31

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  1  Database by electronic transmission or by other means approved

  2  by the sheriffs.

  3         3.  The Florida Sheriffs' Property Recovery Database

  4  may be accessed through "FLASH," the Florida Sheriffs'

  5  Statewide Computer Networking System, or through any other

  6  avenue approved by the sheriffs. Any costs or fees incurred or

  7  to be incurred by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or

  8  the Florida police chiefs must be approved by the Department

  9  of Law Enforcement and the Florida Police Chiefs' Association

10  jointly. No costs or fees shall be assessed to law enforcement

11  agencies within this state to access the Florida Sheriffs'

12  Property Recovery Database. Data that are supplied to the

13  sheriffs may not be sold to private entities.

14         4.  The sheriffs, in consultation with the Florida

15  Police Chiefs' Association and the Department of Law

16  Enforcement, shall establish the standards and requirements

17  for transmitting and transferring the information into the

18  statewide system and access approval.

19         5.  Routine automated queries of the FCIC/NCIC system

20  by the Florida Sheriffs' Property Recovery Database within the

21  statewide computer system shall be limited to queries

22  regarding stolen property.

23         (d)(c)  All goods delivered to a pawnbroker in a pawn

24  or purchase transaction must be securely stored and maintained

25  in an unaltered condition within the jurisdiction of the

26  appropriate law enforcement official for a period of 30

27  calendar days after the transaction. Those goods delivered to

28  a pawnbroker in a purchase transaction may not be sold or

29  otherwise disposed of before the expiration of such period.

30  The pawnbroker shall make all pledged and purchased goods and

31  all records relating to such goods available for inspection by

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  1  the appropriate law enforcement official during normal

  2  business hours throughout such period. The pawnbroker must

  3  store and maintain pledged goods for the period prescribed in

  4  subsection (10) unless the pledged goods are redeemed earlier;

  5  provided, however, that within the first 30 days after the

  6  original pawn, the pledged goods may be redeemed only by the

  7  pledgor or the pledgor's attorney in fact.

  8         (11)  PAWN SERVICE CHARGES.--

  9         (b)  The default date of any pawn may be extended to a

10  subsequent date by mutual agreement, between the pledgor and

11  the pawnbroker except the pawnbroker may not impose a minimum

12  duration of more than 30 days, evidenced by a written

13  memorandum, a copy of which must be supplied to the pledgor,

14  which must clearly specify the new default date, and the pawn

15  service charges owed on the new default date. In this event,

16  the daily pawn service charge for the extension shall be equal

17  to the pawn service charge for the original 30-day period

18  divided by 30 days (i.e., one-thirtieth of the original total

19  pawn service charge). There is no limit on the number of

20  extensions that the parties may agree to.

21         (12)  PROHIBITED ACTS.--A pawnbroker, or an employee or

22  agent of a pawnbroker, may not:

23         (b)  Refuse to allow the agency, the appropriate law

24  enforcement official, or the state attorney, or any of their

25  designated representatives having jurisdiction, to inspect

26  completed pawnbroker transaction forms or any record

27  pertaining to such transactions, including computer records,

28  or pledged or purchased goods during the ordinary hours of the

29  pawnbroker's business or other time acceptable to both

30  parties. Upon request of the alleged owner or claimant of the

31  disputed property, the appropriate law enforcement official

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  1  shall disclose to a claimant or alleged owner the name and

  2  address of the pawnbroker, the name and address of the

  3  conveying customer, and a description of disputed property

  4  that has been pawned, purchased, or consigned goods that the

  5  claimant claims to be misappropriated. The pawnbroker may not

  6  refuse to allow access to any area of the licensed business

  7  location or any other location where pledged or purchased

  8  property is stored. Any locations other than the licensed

  9  location used for storage must be disclosed to the law

10  enforcement officer.

11         (l)  Operate a pawnshop between the hours of 10 p.m.

12  and 7 a.m.

13         (m)  Knowingly hire anyone to work in a pawnshop who

14  has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo

15  contendere to, or had adjudication withheld for a felony

16  within the last 5 years, or been convicted of, or entered a

17  plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, or had adjudication

18  withheld for a crime within the last 5 years which involves

19  theft, larceny, dealing in stolen property, receiving stolen

20  property, burglary, embezzlement, obtaining property by false

21  pretenses, possession of altered property, or any fraudulent,

22  or dishonest dealing.

23         (16)  HOLD ORDERS; ISSUANCE; REQUIRED INFORMATION;

24  PROCEDURES.--

25         (a)  When a an appropriate law enforcement official in

26  this state has probable cause to believe that property in the

27  possession of a pawnbroker is misappropriated, the official

28  may place a written hold order on the property.  The written

29  hold order shall impose a holding period not to exceed 120 90

30  days unless extended by court order. A The appropriate law

31  enforcement official in this state may rescind, in writing,

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  1  any hold order, but. An appropriate law enforcement official

  2  may place only one hold order on property.

  3         (b)  Upon the expiration of the holding period, the

  4  pawnbroker shall notify, in writing, a the appropriate law

  5  enforcement official in this state by certified mail, return

  6  receipt requested, that the holding period has expired.  If,

  7  on the 10th day after the written notice has been received by

  8  a the appropriate law enforcement official in this state, the

  9  pawnbroker has not received from a court an extension of the

10  hold order on the property and the property is not the subject

11  of a proceeding under subsection (15), title to the property

12  shall vest in and be deemed conveyed by operation of law to

13  the pawnbroker, free of any liability for claims but subject

14  to any restrictions contained in the pawn transaction contract

15  and subject to the provisions of this section.

16         (c)  A hold order must specify:

17         1.  The name and address of the pawnbroker.

18         2.  The name, title, and identification number of the

19  representative of the appropriate law enforcement official or

20  the court placing the hold order.

21         3.  If applicable, the name and address of the

22  appropriate law enforcement official in this state or court to

23  which such representative is attached and the number, if any,

24  assigned to the claim regarding the property.

25         4.  A complete description of the property to be held,

26  including model number and serial number if applicable.

27         5.  The name of the person reporting the property to be

28  misappropriated unless otherwise prohibited by law.

29         6.  The mailing address of the pawnbroker where the

30  property is held.

31         7.  The expiration date of the holding period.

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  1         (d)  The pawnbroker or the pawnbroker's representative

  2  must sign and date a copy of the hold order as evidence of

  3  receipt of the hold order and the beginning of the 90-day

  4  holding period.

  5         (e)1.  Except as provided in subparagraph 2., a

  6  pawnbroker may not release or dispose of property subject to a

  7  hold order except pursuant to a court order, a written release

  8  from a the appropriate law enforcement official in this state,

  9  or the expiration of the holding period of the hold order.

10         2.  While a hold order is in effect, the pawnbroker

11  must upon request release the property subject to the hold

12  order to the custody of a the appropriate law enforcement

13  official in this state for use in a criminal investigation.

14  The release of the property to the custody of a the

15  appropriate law enforcement official in this state is not

16  considered a waiver or release of the pawnbroker's property

17  rights or interest in the property. Upon completion of the

18  criminal proceeding, the property must be returned to the

19  pawnbroker unless the court orders other disposition. When

20  such other disposition is ordered, the court shall

21  additionally order the conveying customer to pay restitution

22  to the pawnbroker in the amount received by the conveying

23  customer for the property together with reasonable attorney's

24  fees and costs.

25         Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 539.003, Florida

26  Statutes, is amended to read:

27         539.003  Confidentiality.--

28         (1)  All records relating to pawnbroker transactions

29  delivered to appropriate law enforcement officials pursuant to

30  s. 539.001 are confidential and exempt from the provisions of

31  s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution

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  1  and may be used only for official law enforcement purposes.

  2  This section does not prohibit the disclosure by the

  3  appropriate law enforcement officials of the name and address

  4  of the pawnbroker, the name and address of the conveying

  5  customer, or a description of pawned, purchased, or conveyed

  6  property to the alleged owner of pawned property.

  7         Section 3.  Present subsections (3), (4), and (5) of

  8  section 538.04, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are

  9  redesignated as subsections (4), (5), and (6), respectively,

10  and a new subsection (3) is added to that section to read:

11         538.04  Recordkeeping requirements; penalties.--

12         (3)  If the appropriate law enforcement agency supplies

13  the appropriate software and the secondhand dealer presently

14  has computer capability, transactions of secondhand goods

15  shall be electronically transferred. If a secondhand dealer

16  does not presently have computer capability, the appropriate

17  law enforcement agency may provide the secondhand dealer with

18  a computer and all necessary equipment for the purpose of

19  electronically transferring transactions of secondhand goods.

20  The appropriate law enforcement agency shall retain ownership

21  of the computer, unless otherwise agreed upon. The secondhand

22  dealer shall maintain the computer in good working order,

23  ordinary wear and tear excepted. In the event the secondhand

24  dealer transfers transactions of secondhand goods

25  electronically, the secondhand dealer is not also required to

26  deliver to the appropriate law enforcement official the

27  original or copies of the secondhand goods transaction forms.

28  The appropriate law enforcement official may, for the purposes

29  of a criminal investigation, request that the secondhand

30  dealer produce an original of a transaction form that has been

31  electronically transferred. The secondhand dealer shall

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    Florida Senate - 1999                    CS for CS for SB 1820
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  1  deliver this form to the appropriate law enforcement official

  2  within 24 hours of the request.

  3         Section 4.  If any provision of this act or the

  4  application thereof to any person or circumstance is held

  5  invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or

  6  applications of the act which can be given effect without the

  7  invalid provision or application, and to this end the

  8  provisions of this act are declared severable.

  9         Section 5.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

10  law.

11

12          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
13                            CS/SB 1820

14

15  -     Contains no limitation on the information received by
          the sheriff, as the central repository. Information may
16        include information about the person making the pawn.

17  -     Contains no limitation on the information transferred to
          the Florida Sheriffs' Property Recovery Database.
18        Information may include information about the person
          making the pawn.
19
    -     Limits routine automated queries of the FCIC/NCIC system
20        by the database to queries regarding stolen property.

21  -     Provides that no costs or fees shall be assessed to
          Florida law enforcement agencies to access the database.
22
    -     Deletes language specifying that clerical errors do not
23        constitute a willful violation of the pawnbroking act.
          This has the effect of restoring current law which
24        requires that a person make a willfully false entry.

25  -     Contains a severance clause.

26

27

28

29

30

31

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