Mo. License Authorities Claim Not Leaking Documents
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Mo. License Authorities Claim Not Leaking Documents

Date: March 11, 2013
By: Taylor Beck
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 787

Intro: 
At a House Government Oversight hearing Monday the man in charge of the department issuing licenses and conceal and carry permits assured the department is not giving personal information to the federal government.
RunTime:  0:39
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Republican Representative Todd Richardson grilled the Missouri Department of Revenue director for over an hour on the new procedures of scanning "source documents" when Missourians get a license or conceal and carry endorsement.

Source documents include personal identification like birth certificates.

A lawsuit filed in Stoddard County last week sparked controversy the department may be sending the information of gun owners to the federal government.

But, the director of the department Brian Long says this is not the case.

Actuality:  LONG1.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "We don't share those scan documents with the federal government or any third party vendor, nor does the department have any plans to do so."
 
Long says the information is sent to a central office in Jefferson City and those processing the licenses are given minimal information needed for printing.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro: 
At a House Government Oversight Committee hearing opponents of Missouri's new licensing system aimed at curbing identity fraud say it violates privacy...and the Constitution.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: At the hearing lawmakers questioned if the Missouri Department of Revenue is giving personal information of gun owners to the federal government.

The controversy began when a man in Stoddard County filed a lawsuit after he was denied a conceal and carry endorsement because he refused the scanning of his personal documents.

The man's attorney Russel Oliver spoke at the hearing and said the additional scans are unconstitutional.

Actuality:  OLIVER2.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "our lawsuit is about an additional and new, what we perceive to be illegal hurdle to a person obtaining a conceal and carry weapon endorsement on their license."

The committee also heard Republican Representative Todd Richardson's bill which prohibits the department from keeping copies of those personal documents.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro: 
At a House Government Oversight Committee hearing the Missouri Department of Revenue director said the new process of scanning personal documents will actually provide more safety than privacy violations.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The new process to get a license or conceal and carry endorsement includes the scanning of personal documents like birth certificates.

The images are then sent to a central office and are supposed to help curb identity fraud. 

At Wednesday's hearing the director of the Missouri Department of Revenue Brian Long said the new process will help prevent scandals like the one in St. Joseph where many illegal immigrants obtained fake IDs in 2009.

Actuality:  LONG3.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "The chance of some future Tommy McNamara thinking I can take the bribe and get away with this, is durastically reduced by the knowledge that every since transaction has the potential to be scanned."

Opponents say the department may be sending gun owners' information to the federal government, but Long denies it. 

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.