Story Published:
Nov 11, 2008 at 12:33 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Nov 11, 2008 at 12:33 PM CDT
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A judge threw out a Missouri law that capped the amount that the Revenue Department can charge companies that buy driver's license and motor vehicle records. Lawmakers added the price cap to property tax legislation this year after the Department of Revenue began charging $7 per record. Previously, it cost a fraction of a cent per record.
The legislation was challenged in court by BearingPoint, a company in Virginia that got a state contract worth up to $50 million to replace the computer system for driver's license and motor vehicle records.
Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce ruled Monday that the fee limit violated Missouri's constitution. She said its addition to the property tax legislation changed the bill's purpose, wasn't mentioned in the bill's title and wasn't connected to the other provisions.
The ruling affects CarFax, insurance companies and others that buy the records to keep tabs on damaged cars and their titles.
