City of Baltimore - File #: 13-0125R

• File #: 13-0125R
• Version: 0
• Name: Request for State Action - Statewide Ban on Automated Purchasing Machines
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 10/7/2013
• In control: City Council
• Final action: 10/7/2013
• Title: Request for State Action - Statewide Ban on Automated Purchasing Machines FOR the purpose of calling on the Baltimore City Delegation to the 2014 Maryland General Assembly to introduce, and secure the passage of, legislation to ban cash-for-phone machines statewide.
• Sponsors: Bill Henry, Brandon M. Scott, James B. Kraft, Helen L. Holton, President Young, William "Pete" Welch, Sharon Green Middleton, Mary Pat Clarke, Edward Reisinger, Carl Stokes, Robert Curran, Rochelle Spector
• Indexes: Resolution

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/7/2013	0	City Council	Introduced
10/7/2013	0	City Council	Advanced to 2nd Reader on same day
10/7/2013	0	City Council	Adopted

* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*

CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmember Henry




A RESOLUTION ENTITLED

A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Request for State Action - Statewide Ban on Automated Purchasing Machines

FOR the purpose of calling on the Baltimore City Delegation to the 2014 Maryland General Assembly to introduce, and secure the passage of, legislation to ban cash-for-phone machines statewide.
body

Recitals

In response to a wave of sometimes violent cell phone thefts, Baltimore recently enacted legislation to ban automated purchasing machines that dispense quick cash for phones. According to their many critics, the ease, and perceived ease, of using these machines to turn stolen phones into cash has been a significant factor in the ongoing rise in cell phone robberies. Certainly, the correlation between the spread of cash-for-phone machines throughout the Baltimore region and the spike in cell phone attacks is a cause for concern.

However, although it can help to keep the situation from worsening, Baltimore’s ban on its own is unlikely to have much of an impact on whatever effect these machines are currently having on cell phone thefts, since the city is already virtually ringed by cash-for-phone machines located just outside its boundaries.

The Washington D.C. metro area is experiencing a similar problem. There, the District’s Police Chief is convinced that automated cell phone purchasing machines are driving up street c...