scan Archives - Missourinet

Bill ending controversial document scans signed into law

July 1, 2013 By Mike Lear

The Revenue Department can no longer scan personal documents from applicants for drivers’ and non-driver’s licenses, under a bill signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon.

Senator Will Kraus (photo courtesy; Missouri Senate)

Senate Bill 252 also orders the Department to by the end of this year purge its computers of all copies of those scans made since September. Some scans will continue in instances specified under the legislation, however, such as for commercial driver’s licenses. The bill took effect immediately upon being signed by the Governor.

Revenue Department representatives have twice testified under oath to legislative committees that if the Governor signed that bill, such scans would cease.

The sponsor of that bill, Senator Will Kraus (R-Lee’s Summit), says that doesn’t put all the issues regarding those scans to rest, however. He says state lawmakers will continue investigating why those scans were started in the first place and whether they were part of an effort to comply with the federal Real I.D. Act. A 2009 state law exercised Missouri’s option not to participate in Real I.D.

“That issue’s probably not going to go to bed because I think there is a number of people who would like to understand why our Department of Revenue would tell the federal government we were going to be in compliance with a law that we in the state of Missouri … and this governor signed … [a state law] that says we are not going to follow the federal law on Real I.D.”

Revenue Department employees have testified that the scans were started as part of a new, third-party system for issuing driver’s and non-driver’s identification that they say would help to combat fraud.

House committee questions effectiveness of scans in fighting fraud

June 28, 2013 By Mike Lear

A House Committee investigating the Revenue Department’s handling of Missourians information has looked back on a fraud case involving the St. Joseph license office. Nine people in Missouri were indicted in January 2012 for a conspiracy thought to have provided more than 3,500 fraudulent IDs to illegal immigrants, with the St. Joseph office its hub.

The Bipartisan Committee on Privacy Protection has asked the Revenue Department’s Special Agent in Charge, David Wickerham, if he thinks the Department’s new licensing process that includes the scanning and retention of personal documents, could help fight such fraud. He says it would not because in that case, actual documents were being used by the perpetrators.

“As it relates to St. Joe, scanning the documents would not have prevented anything.”

The Department’s head of motor vehicle licensing, Jackie Benboom, says the scanning practice could make catching and prosecuting people who submit fraudulent documents easier than the earlier system.

“For over-the-counter you could have an individual come in and submit their documentation and they walk out with their driver’s license in their hand … with central issue, it allows the Department to take a look and review those documents prior to, and instead of handing the document to the individual and then walk out the door and we have to chase it and may never get it back again, you’re able to actually stop the license from being mailed out to the individual.”

That committee has wrapped up two straight days of hearings in the Capital in Jefferson City.

Committee announced to continue investigation into document scans, retention (VIDEO)

May 6, 2013 By Mike Lear

House Speaker Tim Jones has announced the formation of a new investigative committee that will look into the Nixon Administration’s handling of personal information from Missouri license and concealed carry permit applicants.

House Speaker Tim Jones (at podium) announces the committee flanked by several Republicans, including Committee members Gary Fuhr (left of podium), Omar Davis (right of podium, blue shirt and tie) and Russ Oliver (far right, red tie) (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Jones says Governor Jay Nixon still has not acknowledged the importance of the issue.

“The public’s trust has been violated. We must get to the bottom of this scandal.”

Jones says he is organizing and forming the Bipartisan Investigative Committee on Privacy Protection. Its members so far are: County Prosecutors Russ Oliver (R) of Stoddard County and Mike Fusselman (R) of Randolph County, Sheriffs Stuart Miller (D) of Audrain County and Oliver “Glenn” Boyer (D) of Jefferson County, Former General Counsel and Director of the Department of Revenue Omar Davis, and former state representative and retired FBI agent Gary Fuhr (R). More members could be announced later.

Jones is directing the committee to issue a report by September 1 detailing its findings, whether any state laws or protocols were broken or ignored, and its suggestions for new laws or protocols to prevent similar incidents.

Jones also addressed the filing of the Sunshine Request by the Office of Administration into an attempt by someone in the House to access the list of concealed carry permit holders that had been made available online to a special agent with the Social Security Administration. Jones says that attempt was made as part of the House’s ongoing investigation, to make sure that web portal was no longer active.

(Video courtesy; Jonathan Lorenz, Missouri House Communications)

Nixon calls concealed carry situation ‘kerfuffle,’ distraction from Medicaid expansion (AUDIO)

April 16, 2013 By Mike Lear

Governor Jay Nixon says he was focused on security and privacy when he made the decision to have the Department of Revenue stop scanning qualification certificates for concealed carry endorsements. When pressed for details on related issues, however, Nixon became agitated and told reporters the issues regarding CCW information scans and dissemination are just a distraction from the issue of Medicaid expansion.

Governor Jay Nixon fields questions from reporters about CCW scans and their handling after speaking at a Medicaid expansion rally in the State Capitol Rotunda.

Nixon, fielding questions after speaking to an estimated 1,200 people at a Medicaid expansion rally in the State Capitol, told reporters, “What you’re seeing is a major kerfuffle to try to change not only the public’s focus of attention over something that is in this corner and to ignore what just has happened right here,” referring to the rally.

Nixon’s announcement Tuesday morning says the Department will quit scanning those certificates of qualification, but the Department has said it will continue to scan other documents. Nixon says the Department will work with policy makers to decide how to move forward.

“Those records are used, and quite frankly records in the public sector are used a lot, to make sure that public safety is protected whether its background checks and all the other stuff that are out there, and law enforcement purposes.”

The Revenue Department has testified to a House Committee that concealed carry and driver’s license applicant information that has been scanned is being stored in the state data center in Jefferson City. The Department has said it will find and delete the CCW qualifying certificates from that database.

Asked whether copies of other documents that have been scanned will be destroyed, Nixon again defers, “I’ll leave that to the Department of Revenue to go through any other details.”

Asked about Nixon’s assessment that the CCW situation is merely a distraction from Medicaid expansion, Senator Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) says it’s a serious issue.

“I would say that is a gross misunderstanding of the concerns of the public, on the behalf of the Governor.”

Schaefer says Nixon needs to act further.

“The Governor is responsible directly for what happens at the Department of Revenue including the Department of Motor Vehicles. At some point the Governor is going to have to step up the plate. He’s going to have to be frank with Missourians about what is being done with their personal information and say whether or not he thinks this new policy of keeping personal information and sharing it with outside sources in violation of state law is a good thing or a bad thing.”

Nixon says lawmakers need to spend more time talking about Medicaid expansion, calling it “the most significant public policy issue” he’s faced in 26 years.

“It’s time folks got back to work here and focused on what needs to get done. What needs to get done is we need to get $2 billion dollars down, we need to get downward pressure on healthcare premiums, we need to improve Medicaid. That is the key issue of this session.”

AUDIO: Hear the complete Q & A between reporters and Nixon, 4:14