STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Rep. Debbie McCune
Davis, D-Phoenix (District 30), introduced a bill that would establish a
registry of convicted white-collar criminals in Arizona. The registry would be
maintained by the attorney general and would make available to the public
information about an offender’s convictions and victims.
“This
registry would serve, first and foremost, as a tool for consumers. It would give
consumers the opportunity to know whether the people they do business with have
a history of illegal and harmful behavior. Informing Arizona’s consumers
empowers them, makes them safer and makes them more effective economic forces,”
McCune Davis said.
Residential mortgage
and securities fraud, business or commercial fraud and money laundering are all
among the offenses that would require registration with the attorney general.
Offenders would be listed on the registry for ten years following a first
conviction, an additional ten years for a second conviction and for life after
subsequent convictions. The registry would be publically accessible and may
serve to deter potential white-collar crime.
“Giving
consumers easy access to the identities of white-collar criminals should also
deter potential crime before it takes place. Everyone except white-collar
criminals is better off if we know exactly who those criminals are,” McCune
Davis said.
The full text
of the bill is available at: http://www.azleg.gov/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=2604&Session_Id=115&image.x=0&image.y=0
