Bill Text: CA SB1198 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Pawnbrokers: fees and charges.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2024-08-19 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 185, Statutes of 2024. [SB1198 Detail]
Download: California-2023-SB1198-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
April 08, 2024 |
Introduced by Senator Roth |
February 15, 2024 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
The California Constitution requires
the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program:Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 21200.6 of the Financial Code is amended to read:21200.6.
(a) In addition to other allowed charges, at the time property is redeemed or a replacement loan is issued pursuant to Section 21201.5, the pawnbroker may collect a handling, storage, and security charge for pawned articles. The maximum amount that may be charged pursuant to this section is in accordance with the following schedule:SEC. 2.
Section 21200.9 of the Financial Code is amended and renumbered to read:21200.10.
No licensed pawnbroker shall promise any seller of tangible personal property that the seller may repurchase property sold to the pawnbroker.SEC. 3.
Section 21200.9 is added to the Financial Code, to read:21200.9.
In addition to other allowed charges, a pawnbroker may collect a remote transaction fee, if the pledgor elects to request a replacement loan or to redeem a loan through electronic means, of up to 3.0 percent of the transaction amount to cover the recurring costs associated with software applications.(a)Every loan made by a pawnbroker for which goods are received in pledge as security shall be evidenced by a written contract, a copy of which shall be furnished to the pledgor. The loan contract shall provide a loan period that is a minimum of three months, shall set forth the loan period and the date on which the loan is due and payable, and shall clearly inform the pledgor of their right to redeem the pledge during the loan period.
(b)Every loan contract shall contain the following notice, in at least 8-point boldface type and circumscribed by a box, immediately
above the space for the pledgor’s signature:
“You may redeem the property you have pledged at any time until the close of business on ____ [fill in date no less than three months from date loan begins]. To redeem, you must pay the amount of the loan and the applicable charges which have accrued through the date on which you redeem.”
(c)Every pawnbroker shall retain in their possession every article pledged to them for the duration of the loan period. During that period, the pledgor may redeem the articles upon payment of the amount of the loan and the applicable charges. If the pledgor and the pawnbroker agree in writing that the pawned property may be stored off premises, following the request
for redemption of the loan, the pawnbroker shall return the pledged property to the pledgor the next calendar day when both the pawnbroker’s store and the storage facility are open, not to exceed two business days.
(d)If any pledged article is not redeemed during the loan period as provided herein, and the pledgor and pawnbroker do not mutually agree in writing to extend the loan period, the pawnbroker shall notify the pledgor within one month after expiration of the loan period. If the pawnbroker fails to notify the pledgor within one month after the expiration of the loan period, the pawnbroker shall not charge interest from the day after the expiration of the one-month period. The pawnbroker shall notify the pledgor at the pledgor’s last known mailing or electronic address of the termination of the loan period, by a means for which verification of mailing or, at the sole option of the pledgor, electronic transmission of the notification can
be provided by the pawnbroker, and extending the right of redemption, during posted business hours, for a period of 10 days from date of mailing or electronic transmission of that notice. Electronic notice of the termination of the loan period shall be valid if the pledgor has previously responded to an electronic communication sent by the pawnbroker to the pledgor’s last known electronic address provided by the pledgor. Upon the initiation of each new or replacement loan, the pledgor shall affirm that the current electronic address on file with the pawnbroker is valid. The 10-day notice shall state, in substantially the same format as the following: “If the tenth day falls on a day when the pawnshop is closed, the time period is extended to the next day that the pawnshop is open.”
(e)The posted schedule of charges required pursuant to Section 21200.5 shall contain a notice informing the pledgor that if they desire, the pawnbroker shall send
the notice of termination of the loan period by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, upon prepayment of the mailing costs.
(f)If any pledged article is not redeemed within the 10-day notice period, the pawnbroker shall become vested with all right, title, and interest of the pledgor, or the pledgor’s assigns, to the pledged article, to hold and dispose of as the pawnbroker’s own property. Any other provision of law relating to the foreclosure and sale of pledges shall not be applicable to any pledge the title to which is transferred in accordance with this section. The pawnbroker shall not sell any article of pledged property until they have become vested with the title to that property pursuant to this section.
(g)The sale of pledged property is a misdemeanor pursuant to Section 21209.
SEC. 5.SEC. 4.
Section 21201.2 of the Financial Code is amended to read:21201.2.
If the pledgor fails to redeem any pawned item during the loan period, thereby obliging the pawnbroker to mail or electronically transmit the notice required under Section 21201, the pawnbroker may charge a fee of up to seven dollars ($7) for services and costs pertaining to the preparation and mailing or electronic transmission of the notice, in addition to any other allowed charges.No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.