The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 1990 establishes the criminal offense of gift card fraud with graduated felony and misdemeanor penalties
Last action · April 2, 2026: Reported Do Pass (H)Sponsor: Dave Hinman
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
The bill creates the specific criminal offense of gift card fraud for individuals who knowingly tamper with gift cards, use deceit to obtain gift cards or redemption information, or use fraudulently obtained gift cards to acquire money or goods. Penalties range from a class A misdemeanor for values under seven hundred fifty dollars to a class C felony for values of twenty-five thousand dollars or more. The measure also updates statutory definitions related to gift cards, closed-loop cards, open-loop cards, and redemption information.
Creates new criminal liability and specific penalty thresholds for individuals engaging in gift card tampering, skimming schemes, or unauthorized redemption, impacting prosecution standards and sentencing guidelines for retail crimes.
- Gift card tampering, often referred to as skimming or barcode swapping, has been an increasing challenge for retailers and consumers, prompting lawmakers to introduce specific criminal statutes. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Gift card holders
Consumers and individuals holding physical or digital gift cards gain statutory protections against tampering and fraudulent acquisition schemes.
Gift card sellers and issuers
Merchants and issuers are subject to updated statutory definitions and receive legal remedies against schemes targeting their card inventories and redemption systems.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What actions constitute the offense of gift card fraud under this bill?
How are the penalties determined for a conviction of gift card fraud?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
12 actions- Apr 2, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Do Pass (H)
- Apr 2, 2026HouseCommitteeVoted Do Pass (H)
- Apr 2, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Mar 26, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Rules - Administrative(H)
- Mar 11, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Reported Do Pass (H)
- Mar 10, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Voted Do Pass (H)
Show 6 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Mar 3, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Feb 5, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Crime and Public Safety(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 1, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of Dedicated Gift Card Fraud Offense
The bill moves gift card tampering and skimming schemes from general theft statutes into a dedicated statutory section with specific monetary thresholds.
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools