Banks and credit unions: signature stamps.

Existing law, the Banking Law, regulates the organization and operations of state-organized banks, and the California Credit Union Law regulates the organization and operation of credit unions, the willful violation of which is a crime. Existing law does not regulate the issuance or use of a signature stamp in financial transactions. This bill would define "signature stamp" and regulate the issuance of a signature stamp by a state-organized bank or credit union to an accountholder and the use of the signature stamp by the accountholder in financial transactions with a bank or credit union. The bill would require a stampholder to report a lost or stolen signature stamp to the bank or credit union, as specified. Existing law prohibits various types of elder abuse, punishable by incarceration, fines, or both incarceration and fines, including imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not to exceed $1,000, for specified types of abuse involving theft, embezzlement, forgery, fraud, or identity theft. This bill would increase the amount of each of the fines otherwise imposed for the existing law offenses, and would provide that the additional fine amount be allocated to the adult protective services agency, or equivalent elder abuse prevention agency, of the county prosecuting the offense. The bill would make changes to conform those provisions to changes made in AB 109 of the 2011–12 Regular Session. The bill would provide for restitution for a violation of these provisions committed through use of a signature stamp. The bill would additionally incorporate changes to Section 368 of the Penal Code proposed by AB 332, to be operative if both bills are enacted and become operative, as specified. Because this bill would create new crimes, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. 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.