Assigned to JUD                                                                                 FOR CAUCUS & FLOOR ACTION

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2327

 

identity theft; revision

 

Purpose

 

Updates and expands statutes relating to identity theft.

 

Background

 

The Fraternal Order of Police reports that identity theft in the United States has increased 600 percent in the last ten years.  Forty-two states, including Arizona, have laws relating to identity theft and additional states may prohibit identity theft under other state laws.  Under current Arizona law, taking the identity of another person is a class 4 felony.

 

Congress has also passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998.  Among its provisions, the Act makes it unlawful for anyone to knowingly and without lawful authority produce an identification document or a false identification document or to knowingly transfer an identification document known to be produced without lawful authority.

 

The fiscal impact of H.B. 2327 on the state general fund is unknown at this time.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Updates the definition of “falsely alters a written instrument” by adding the actions of counterfeiting, washing and connecting together different parts of the whole of more than one genuine instrument.

 

2.      Updates the definition of “personal identifying information” by adding the following:

 

·          savings and checking account numbers

·          credit card, charge card and debit card numbers

·          mother’s maiden name

·          fingerprints

·          retinal images or the image of an iris.

 

3.      Expands the crime of taking the identity of another person to include selling or transferring any personal identifying information of another person.

 

4.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

 

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee

 

Makes a technical change.

 

House Action                                                                          Senate Action                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

JUD                 2/20/01            DPA/SE           10-0-0-0          JUD     3/20/01            DPA    6-0-2-0

3rd Read           3/12/01                                    52-0-8-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

March 21, 2001