HB3359eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3359 Engrossed LRB098 09667 MGM 39813 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Pawnbroker Regulation Act is amended by adding Section 20 as follows:

(205 ILCS 510/20 new)

Sec. 20. Precious Metal Purchasers Task Force.

(a) The General Assembly finds:

(1) There has been, and continues to be, a significant expansion in the volume of precious metals and jewelry sold through pawnbrokers, auction services, for-profit consignment sellers, and other resellers.

(2) There has been, and continues to be, a similar increase in the volume of stolen precious metals and jewelry.

(3) Access by law enforcement to sales-related information generated by pawnbrokers, auction services, for-profit consignment sellers, and other resellers has always been an important tool in combating burglary, robbery, theft, and other crimes directed at personal property.

(4) Recent advances in electronic data collection and compilation have greatly simplified both the reporting of sales-related information by pawnbrokers, auction services, for-profit consignment sellers, and other resellers.

(5) Law enforcement agencies, pawnbrokers, auction services, for-profit consignment sellers, resellers, and information technology-related businesses in several states have created differing systems to provide law enforcement with timely access to sales-related information.

(b) There is hereby created the Precious Metal Purchasers Task Force, consisting of members appointed as follows:

(1) two members from the Senate, one appointed by the Senate President and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

(2) two members from the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

(3) one member appointed by the Governor as chairperson of the task force;

(4) one member appointed by the Secretary of State;

(5) one member appointed by the Attorney General;

(6) one member appointed by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation;

(7) one member appointed by the Director of State Police from the Department of State Police;

(8) one member from a statewide organization representing the Chiefs of Police appointed by the Governor;

(9) one member recommended by the Illinois Municipal League and appointed by the Governor;

(10) one member representing the interests of pawnbrokers appointed by the Governor;

(11) one member representing the interests of for-profit consignment shops appointed by the Governor;

(12) one member representing the interests of the insurance industry with a strong vested interest in stopping theft and recovering stolen goods appointed by the Governor;

(13) two members representing the interests of the general public appointed by the Governor;

(14) one member representing the interests of the scrap recycling industry appointed by the Governor; and

(15) one member of a statewide association exclusively representing retailers appointed by the Governor.

All members appointed under this Section shall serve without compensation, and may be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated from the Pawnbroker Regulation Fund.

(c) The task force shall study the various systems, technologies, and methods of operation for providing law enforcement with the timely access to information relating to the sales of precious metals and jewelry by pawnbrokers, auction sellers, for-profit consignment sellers, resellers, and other persons or entities as it may deem fit, including, but not limited to, providers of technology and services relating to the collection, compilation, storage, and access to such information.

(d) The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall provide any necessary administrative and other support to the task force.

(e) On or before December 31, 2013, the task force shall file and present a report to the General Assembly concerning its recommendations regarding the systems and technologies, together with their usage and potential funding mechanisms and sources, to be implemented to create a statewide system for the collection of information of the sales of precious metals and jewelry by pawnbrokers, auction services, for-profit consignment sellers, and other resellers, and for the compilation, storage, and timely access to that information by law enforcement and shall include proposed legislation to implement its recommendations, if needed.

(f) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2014.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.