Senate budget chairman slams Revenue Department
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Senate budget chairman slams Revenue Department

Date: March 13, 2013
By: Taylor Beck
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The state's top budget official slammed the Department of Revenue Wednesday after he said its officials lied to him about the collection of your personal information...three times.
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Wrap: Senate budget chairman Kurt Schaefer sparked a heated discussion in the Senate after the Missouri Department of Revenue yet again changed their story in a morning hearing.

Actuality:  SCHAAEE.WAV
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Description: "This marks the third time I've been lied to in two weeks."

The department has been gathering personal information and sending it to a central office when citizens get licenses or conceal and carry permits.

The department first told Schaefer it received a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that was not related to the gathering of information at license offices.

Later, the department told him the grant was used for hole punchers to void old licenses. 

Hole punchers bought at 138 bucks a pop.

In a later hearing, the department then said the grant was used for gathering information at license offices, leaving Schaefer furious.    

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro: 
The Missouri Senate heard heated discussion Wednesday over the Department of Revenue's constantly changing story about the gathering of your personal information at license offices.
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Wrap: Lawmakers slammed the Missouri Department of Revenue on the Senate floor.

The department told yet another story at a hearing saying it is using a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to gather personal information when Missourians get licenses.

Senate Appropriations chairman Kurt Schaefer says Missourians should be outraged.

Actuality:  SCHAAE1.WAV
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Description: "it undermines the integrity of every single one of us when we allow that to happen, and to go unnoticed, and unresponded to."

Schaefer said he suspects the department is selling the collected personal information or giving it to the federal government.

But in multiple hearings the director of the department said the department is not and has no intention of giving this information to the feds.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro: 
The Missouri Senate heard heated discussion Wednesday over the Department of Revenue's constantly changing stories about the gathering of your personal information at license offices.
RunTime:  0:49
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: After further questioning of the Missouri Department of Revenue uncovered more discrepancies, Missouri senators spoke out in the chamber.

Columbia Senator Kurt Schaefer said the department has lied to him three times now, stating a grant they received from the Department of Homeland Security was used to gather Missourians personal information after previously denying it.

Schaefer said this practice breaks a Missouri law, and he fears the department is selling the personal information.

Washington Senator Brian Nieves said the situation would be just as infuriating if it had happened under a Republican administration.

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Description: "All that matters is that the executive branch of the Missouri state government is thumbing it's nose at the law."

Schaefer plans to take up the issue again at a later date. 

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.