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State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown D-Philadelphia www.pahouse.com/Brown

Lowery Brown pawnbroker bill gets Judiciary Committee hearing

Freshman legislator looks for House passage in the fall

HARRISBURG, Aug. 23 – State Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown said the Pennsylvania House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing on her bill to protect consumers by tightening regulations on pawnbrokers in Pennsylvania.

"The hearing produced good discussion," said Lowery Brown, D-Phila. "We heard from city residents, our police officers, a representative of pawnbrokers and other legislators. I'm hopeful my bill will be approved by the Judiciary Committee and be passed by the House of Representatives this fall when we return for session."

Lowery Brown said House Bill 2517 would help prevent the sale of stolen goods by allowing police to put a 90-day written hold on items in a pawnbroker's possession that they believe to be stolen.

"We're trying to give consumers peace of mind," Lowery Brown said. "We want them to know that when they enter a pawn shop that they know the merchandise on the shelves has not been stolen." 

Lowery Brown said her bill would require the item to be returned to the pawnbroker after criminal proceedings are finished, unless a court orders otherwise. If a court orders that the item should be confiscated, the customer who sold the item to the pawnbroker would be ordered to pay restitution.

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