Senate unanimously passes Jacobsen bill to protect private information from car thieves
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Senate unanimously passes Jacobsen bill to protect private information from car thieves
Legislation from Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen that would keep drivers' addresses from being accessed or stolen from their vehicles is one step closer to becoming law.
The Washington State Senate unanimously passed House Bill 1984 on Thursday, after it previously passed unanimously out of the House. The bill would require paper-issued registration certificates for vehicles, trailers, and vessels to be printed to allow for the manual removal of a registrant's address, by the named registered owner.
“This policy will help protect people who have unfortunately been victimized by car theft, from possible additional theft or other illegal activities,” said Jacobsen, R-Puyallup. “Our state continues to see car thefts increase. In fact, Washington is the eighth worst state for this crime. This legislation would help prevent bad actors from gaining private information about their victims.”
Current law requires a signed vehicle registration with the owner's address to always be carried in the vehicle. However, having the printed address on the registration gives car thieves access to a person's address, which could lead to other nefarious activities.
“This is a real problem that needs a real solution, which is what this legislation provides,” said Jacobsen. “Public safety continues to be an ongoing problem throughout Washington. This minor change to the vehicle registration certificate would protect people and their personal information, making our communities safer.”
If it becomes law, the policy will take effect Jan. 1, 2023.
The 60-day legislative session is scheduled to wrap up March 10.
