Cogdill Legislation Passes Public Safety Committee

Sacramento, CA — A bill authored by Assemblyman Dave Cogdill to combat identity theft has passed the Committee on Public Safety.

Assembly Bill 618 will allow law enforcement officials to request ATM photos as evidence when investigating identity theft or fraud cases.

Cogdill calls California a haven for identity thieves , ranking third in the nation in the number of crimes investigated. He says 2310 cases were reported in Modesto last year alone.

Investigators currently have the right to request banks to provide account records for the 30 days before and after the incidence of a reported crime.

While police can request ATM surveillance photos for an investigation, banks are not lawfully required to provide them.

The bill now goes to the full Assembly for consideration. The victory comes as a similar bill authored by Senator Chuck Poochigian was killed in the Senate.

Contact Eric Nelson at Eric Nelson