SB 599- This act provides for civil and criminal penalties against a person who fails to return a rented video tape.

This act provides that a video store may bring a civil action against an individual who fails to return a video tape. If a video store member or someone using this membership fails to pay late charges for the late return of a video within thirty days after written notice by the store, such member shall be liable for an amount of $50 or three times the amount of the late charges, whichever is greater. To collect these damages, the video store must have posted a sign at the time the video was rented stating that failure to pay late charges may result in special damages.

This act also creates the crime of misappropriation of a video cassette. A person is guilty of this crime if: 1) he intentionally refuses to return a video cassette to the video store within thirty days after written notice; and 2) these late charges exceed $100. Misappropriation of a video cassette is a class A misdemeanor unless the late charges equal $150 or more, in which case it is a Class C felony.
TOM MORTON