What's happening
This bill requires pawnbrokers to verify, record, and report goods received to the sheriff’s department and restricts selling or destroying items for 15 days.
Why it matters
Enhanced accountability for pawnbrokers. By requiring two forms of identification and detailed recordkeeping—including photocopies, contact information, and item descriptions—this law aims to make it harder to anonymously pawn potentially stolen goods.
Increased cooperation with law enforcement. Mandatory reporting of all pawned items to the sheriff’s department within 24 hours creates a paper trail, making it easier for police to track and recover stolen property.
Potential impact on theft and property crime. The 15-day hold on selling or destroying items gives law enforcement a critical window to investigate and potentially recover stolen goods before they disappear from the system, which could deter theft and fencing operations.
Creation of centralized stolen goods database. By requiring sheriffs to compile reports from various police agencies into a single list, the bill facilitates faster cross-checking of pawned items with outstanding theft reports, potentially increasing recovery rates for victims.
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Who cares
Headline styles
ID Required for Pawning
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to economic development
- Referred to economic development
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1440
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BARCLAY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the general business law and the county law, in relation to the registration of goods presented to pawnbrokers with the sheriff's department
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 46-a to read as follows:
§ 46-a. Identification and registration of goods. 1. No collateral loan broker shall take possession of any goods, articles or things pawned or pledged without confirming the identity of the person pawning or pledging such goods upon presentation of two forms of identification. The collateral loan broker shall maintain a record for each item he or she takes possession of; such record shall contain a photocopy of the forms of identification presented and a phone number and address at which the person pawning or pledging the item may be contacted.
2. Within twenty-four hours of receipt of any goods, articles or things pawned or pledged, the collateral loan broker shall present to the sheriff's department a description of the item and, if available, any identification numbers which may be on the item.
3. Upon reporting items pursuant to subdivision two of this section, the collateral loan broker may not sell or destroy the item until fifteen calendar days have elapsed.
4. The collateral loan broker shall make available to the sheriff's department, upon request, all records compiled pursuant to this section.
§ 2. Section 650 of the county law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3. The sheriff shall compile a list of goods reported stolen within the county, which list shall contain reports made to his or her department, the respective local police departments and the state police.
§ 3. This act shall take effect November 1, 2018.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04499-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.