Perhaps in an effort to put an end to an ongoing political battle over the practice, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation blocking the state Department of Revenue from scanning and storing documents required to get a driver's license.
In April, Nixon ended the practice of scanning so-called source documents for concealed-carry permits. The bill the governor signed Tuesday also requires the Department of Revenue to destroy any source documents that it collected since September 1, 2012.
"While the Department has yet to provide adequate answers regarding why so many Missourians' private information was put at risk in the first place, their decision to finally put an end to most scanning shows that the legislature’s hard work to protect Missourians’ privacy is having a significant impact,” Republican House Speaker Tim Jones said in a statement.
The Republican-controlled Legislature had launched hearings into the scanning practice, though a Cole County judge quashed several subpoenas for top Department of Revenue officials. It was not clear what impact Tuesday's bill signing would have on those hearings.
