SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new California law, sponsored by the Collateral Loan and Secondhand Dealers Association of California (CLSDA), will make it legal for the use of the Matricula Consular as valid identification for the purposes of pawn transactions.

Assembly Bill 99 (De Leon), which becomes law January 1, 2010, approves the Matricula Consular as valid identification, along with:

• A passport of the United States.
• A driver's license issued by any state, or Canada.
• An identification card issued by any state.
• An identification card issued by the United States.
• A passport from any other country in addition to another item of identification bearing an address.

Matriculas are forms of identification that are provided by foreign governments to their citizens living abroad. In the case of the Matricula Consular, it is issued to Mexican citizens residing outside of Mexico by the Mexican Government directly, through its embassies and via its consulate offices throughout the world.

According to CLSDA President Diane Taylor, AB 99 was an important step in helping communities, especially during a difficult economy. "Pawn shops throughout California tend to be vital parts of their communities. In many instances, the local pawn shop may be the only place those in need can get a loan. Now that pawn shops can accept the Matricula Consular as a valid form of identification, we believe many of those who could not get financial help will now be able to."

State law requires that every secondhand dealer or coin dealer described in Section 21628 of the Business and Professions Code be required to file forms daily with the Department of Justice for every transaction for all tangible personal property purchased, taken in trade or accepted for sale on consignment by the pawnbroker. The reports are sent directly to local police or sheriff in accordance with sections of the Business and Professions Code. Apart from describing the property put up for collateral or purchased outright, the reports must also identify the seller by way of a valid form of identification.

Taylor expressed that under the Department of Justice pawnbrokers are heavily regulated and must be very precise in the kind of identification they are able to accept. "We are delighted that the legislature and the governor found merit in our bill to include the Matricula Consular as valid identification," Taylor said. "This will take some of the weight off of our shoulders since we won't have to turn away those who come in to do business with the Matricula."

About CLSDA

For more than 50 years, the Collateral Loan and Secondhand Dealers Association (CLSDA) has been serving the pawn industry in California through industry programs, professional education, information and legislative advocacy.

SOURCE Collateral Loan and Secondhand Dealers Association

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http://www.clsda.org