FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5719

C 52 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Penalizing the fraudulent use of credit card scanning devices.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Financial Services, Insurance & Housing (originally sponsored by Senators Winsley, Prentice, Benton, Finkbeiner and Shin).

Senate Committee on Financial Services, Insurance & Housing

House Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance

Background: Credit card scanning devices are legitimately used to access, read, and store information encoded on credit cards and other forms of payment card, in order to process transactions. Some of the devices are small and portable, to facilitate businesses transacting with payment cards, in restaurants and other settings. Some employees and others may use scanners to obtain a cardholder's information, in order to commit financial fraud.

Summary: Fraudulent use of a payment card scanning device is a class C felony. Subsequent violations are a class B felony.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate       49  0

House       96  0

Effective: July 27, 2003

July 1, 2004 (Section 4)