Senator Will Kraus Applauds Governor's Signing of Privacy Protection Bill

JEFFERSON CITY — Senate Bill 252, sponsored by Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, was signed by the governor yesterday (7-1). SB 252’s main focus is to stop the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) from scanning and storing personal documents presented to fee offices when citizens apply for a driver’s license or non-driver’s identification card.  DOR began scanning birth certificates and other identifying information late last year. The information was kept in a statewide database.

“I applaud the governor for siding with Missouri citizens who were appalled at the lack of privacy and the potential for identity theft associated with these databases,” said Sen. Kraus. “Since driver’s license data has been hacked in other states, the less that is kept, the safer our citizens can feel.”

In the course of investigating DOR’s policy making surrounding the decision to scan documents, several other problems have arisen, including the sharing of concealed carry lists with the federal government, the use of a central issuance system with a company in Georgia, and the department’s seeming compliance with the federal REAL ID standards, directly against state law.

“While the governor’s decision to sign SB 252 is a great first step, the Legislature must continue to investigate these other issues and any more that are uncovered,” said Sen. Kraus.  “The governor’s choice to not let his employees testify at a House hearing last week is unacceptable, and he needs to reverse that decision immediately.”

In addition to the ban on any new scanning, SB 252 also:

• Requires DOR to destroy any previous scans by the end of the year;
• Bans the scanning of CCW information as long as DOR holds that process;
• Allows anyone whose documents are scanned to file a lawsuit against the state;
• Disallows the use of biometric data (with some exceptions) and requires any data be destroyed;       
• Allows fee office contractors to use the state’s defense fund if they are sued for following DOR directives;
• Prohibits the sharing of lists of firearms, ammunition, or other firearm accessories and bans the sharing of any statewide CCW list with the federal government; and
• Ends the WWI Memorial Trust Fund and enacts a WWI Memorial Trust Fund with a check off when someone applies for a military license plate.