Senate Panel Favors Curbs on Public Use of DMV Data

In a move aimed at preventing another slaying like that of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, a state Senate committee on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill restricting the release of home addresses by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

A 7-0 vote sent the bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles), from the Judiciary Committee to the Appropriations Committee.

“Tragically, government records have become the personal research archives of thieves, kooks and killers,” Roos said. “The fact is we are all sitting ducks for any criminal or kook who wants to track us down.”

Robert John Bardo, 19, is in jail in Los Angeles awaiting trial on a charge of killing Schaeffer, who was in the “My Sister Sam” television series. Bardo reportedly obtained Schaeffer’s home address from a Tucson private investigating firm, which obtained it from DMV records. Schaeffer was shot to death July 18 when she opened the door of her Fairfax District apartment.

Sold to Stranger

“The fact is the department sold Rebecca’s home address for a few dollars to a stranger with a deadly motive,” Dana Schaeffer, the victim’s mother, told the committee. “This was wrong and it should not happen again.”

Roos’ legislation would allow motorists to request that their home addresses be kept confidential by the DMV and not disclosed to anybody except representatives of a court, law enforcement, a taxing agency or other government entity.

Any person who made such a request would be required to furnish the DMV with an alternative address, such as their workplace or a post office box, which could be released.

The measure also would prohibit the department from providing photocopies of driver’s licenses, vehicle ownership certificates and registration cards to the public. In addition, the DMV would be prohibited from selling computer tapes or allowing direct computer access to driver’s license files for direct mail advertising or other commercial marketing purposes.

Concern Over Threats

Actress Pam Dawber, the star of “My Sister Sam,” and Sharon Gless, a co-star of “Cagney and Lacey,” also testified before the committee. Dawber said she personally has had death threats and been followed.

“We have to do something to protect the innocent individual,” Dawber said. “There are so many death threats in Hollywood. You have no idea.” She said a producer of one top-rated television show told her that the star of the program received more than 100 death threats in two weeks time.

Gless, who also testified that she had been harassed, said: “I would just like to go home and not be afraid. I would like to open my door and not be afraid.”

The only opposition at the committee came from Craig Biddle, a lobbyist for the California Assn. of Licensed Investigators, who said there is a “legitimate need” for a limited number of people to obtain the home address information. The Society of Professional Journalists also sent a letter to the committee saying it opposes the bill in its current form because it would restrict reporters’ access to addresses.

Last week, reacting to the Schaeffer murder, Gov. George Deukmejian ordered the DMV to restrict the public release of home addresses.

Effective Oct. 1, all commercial groups--insurance companies, credit agencies, lawyers, auto makers and press organizations--regularly requesting personal information about motorists from the DMV will be required to reregister under stricter regulations..

In addition, the DMV will establish a 10-day waiting period before issuing a person’s home address to individuals requesting such information. To provide an advance warning, the department will notify the person that a request as been made, including the name of the individual who made the request and the reason for it.

Roos called Deukmejian’s action a “sensible first step,” but said the legislation was needed to further tighten the restrictions and firmly establish them in state law.