- Committee -

SCS/SBs 662 & 704 - This act allows a Sheriff to seize property in the possession of a pawnbroker if the Sheriff receives a report from a claimant that the property has been misappropriated and the property is reasonably identifiable as the property of the claimant. If the pawnbroker believes the property is not misappropriated he or she would then be entitled to file a cause of action in small claims court. The prevailing party would be entitled to court costs and attorney's fees.

This act lowers the felony stealing limit from $750 to $500, and raises the felony limit for numerous other crimes involving theft from $150 to $500. The other criminal statutes affected are: making a false statement to receive health care payment; sale of any species of wildlife; tampering with computer data; tampering with computer equipment; tampering with computer users; determination of value; receiving stolen property; alternation or removal of item numbers with intent to deprive rightful owner; passing bad checks; fraudulently stopping payment on an instrument; fraudulent use of a credit device; library theft; theft of cable television service; failure to return rented personal property; unlawful receipt of food stamps or ATP cards; unlawful conversion of food stamps or ATP cards; unlawful transfer of food stamps or ATP cards; and perjury, committed when obtaining public assistance.

This act is identical to SB 458 (2001) and 622 (2001).

SARAH MORROW