As used in this title:

(a) “Financial institution” means, when located or doing business in this state, any national bank or banking association, state bank or banking association, commercial bank or trust company organized under the laws of the United States or any state, any private bank, industrial savings bank, savings bank or thrift institution, savings and loan association, or building and loan association organized under the laws of the United States or any state, any insured institution as defined in Section 401 of the National Housing Act, any credit union organized under the laws of the United States or any state, any national banking association or corporation acting under Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 601) of Title 12 of the United States Code, any foreign bank, any currency dealer or exchange, any person or business engaged primarily in the cashing of checks, any person or business who regularly engages in the issuing, selling, or redeeming of traveler’s checks, money orders, or similar instruments, any broker or dealer in securities registered or required to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, any licensed sender of money, any investment banker or investment company, any insurance company, any dealer in coins, precious metals, stones, or jewelry, any pawnbroker, any telegraph company, any person or business engaged in controlled gambling within the meaning of subdivision (e) of § 19805 of the Business and Professions Code, whether registered or licensed to do so or not, and any person or business defined as a “bank,” “financial agency,” or “financial institution” by Section 5312 of Title 31 of the United States Code or Section 103.11 of Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations and any successor provisions thereto.

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(b) “Transaction” includes the deposit, withdrawal, transfer, bailment, loan, payment, or exchange of currency, or a monetary instrument, as defined by subdivision (c), by, through, or to, a financial institution, as defined by subdivision (a). “Transaction” does not include the purchase of gold, silver, or platinum bullion or coins, or diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or sapphires by a bona fide dealer therein, and does not include the sale of gold, silver, or platinum bullion or coins, or diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or sapphires by a bona fide dealer therein in exchange for other than a monetary instrument, and does not include the exchange of gold, silver, or platinum bullion or coins, or diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or sapphires by a bona fide dealer therein for gold, silver, or platinum bullion or coins, or diamonds, emeralds, rubies, or sapphires.

(c) “Monetary instrument” means United States currency and coin; the currency and coin of any foreign country; and any instrument defined as a “monetary instrument” by Section 5312 of Title 31 of the United States Code or Section 103.11 of Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or the successor of either. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, “monetary instrument” does not include bank checks, cashier’s checks, traveler’s checks, personal checks, or money orders made payable to the order of a named party that have not been endorsed or that bear restrictive endorsements.

(d) “Department” means the Department of Justice.

(e) “Criminal justice agency” means the Department of Justice and any district attorney’s office, sheriff’s department, police department, or city attorney’s office of this state.

(f) “Currency” means United States currency or coin, the currency or coin of any foreign country, and any legal tender or coin defined as currency by Section 103.11 of Title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations or any succeeding provision.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 867, Sec. 60. Effective January 1, 1998.)