Advocating For Stiffer ATM Crime Penalties

The 2022 legislative season ended without action on House Bill 9248, the “Safe Access to Cash Act”. The bill would have made it a federal crime to “by force and violence, or by intimidation, willfully take, or attempt to take, from any person using, loading cash into, or servicing, or attempting to use, load cash into, or service, or having just used, loaded cash into, or serviced, an ATM . . .”. Penalties were to include a fine and/or up to 20 years in prison. ATMIA remains hopeful that new sponsors will re-introduce this this measure and get it passed this year.

At the state level, there were several states that introduced ATM crime bills last year. So far this year, Missouri is the only state that has introduced such a bill – HB 725. We remain hopeful that others will do the same.