Rep. Solomon bills would increase penalties for theft of catalytic converters, OK interstate compact

 

STATE HOUSE — Building on the success of last year’s legislation to curb the theft of catalytic converters, Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) has introduced two bills that would increase the penalties for those thefts, and create an interstate compact to hamper thieves.

Last session, the General Assembly enacted Representative Solomon’s law (2022-H 7751B) that requires that purchasers of a catalytic converter, except for business-to-business transactions, obtain either the vehicle registration or the vehicle identification number from the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed and provide upon request, the information to a law enforcement agency.

“We’ve given businesses the opportunity to do the right thing,” said Representative Solomon. “Now we’re making it tougher and holding them more accountable. This is a serious issue that’s affecting everybody. When it happens to poor people or disabled people, they can hardly afford to replace them.”

The first bill (2023-H 5841) would mandate a bill of sale, eliminate cash payments and require the attorney general to suspend the license of any violator of the law. Additionally, the legislation would change the requirement for every person licensed under this chapter to retain a copy of the report form for a period of one year to three years from the date of the sale. Also, a conviction under this law would be a felony subject to fine and imprisonment.

The second bill (2023-H 5842) would establish an interstate compact that would regulate the purchase and sale of catalytic converters specifically and precious metals generally with the goal of preventing the proliferation of stolen converters. It would set licensing and reporting requirements for each sale or purchase of converters.

“I think the time has come for an interstate compact because this is truly a nationwide issue,” said Representative Solomon. “Not only are thefts picking up locally, such as the FBI raid on a Providence scrap metal business, but we hear constant news reports about catalytic converter thefts all over the country. Even the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile fell victim to thieves last month.”

Testimony in favor of the legislation submitted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau to the House Committee on Corporations said, “Catalytic converter theft has skyrocketed in recent years in part due to the significant rise in the price of various precious metals, including rhodium, platinum, and palladium. All are used in the construction of catalytic converters. Criminals are seizing the opportunity to profit off these increased prices by removing the catalytic converter from vehicles — in relatively easy fashion — and selling the stolen part on the black market. The component precious metals can be recycled into new products. Nationally, catalytic converter thefts more than quadrupled from 3,389 in 2019 to 14,433 in 2020. Thefts jumped dramatically yet again to over 52,000 in 2021, an increase of 1,215% since 2019.”                                                  

 

A mass shooting on Memorial Day in Hollywood, Florida has left nine people injured, including a one-year-old child. Investigators believe two groups were arguing when shots were fired. One person was detained, but the search is still on for a second suspect. The incident was just one in a series of Memorial Day weekend shootings across the U.S. that left at least 16 people dead and dozens injured.        President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy will be working the phones today in a bid to sell the debt ceiling deal they struck to holdouts within their respective parties. The House is expected to vote Wednesday on the bipartisan deal that raises the nation's debt limit for the next two years.       A detention hearing is set for today in federal court in Washington, DC for a 19-year-old from Missouri charged for ramming a U-Haul truck into a barrier near the White House earlier this month. Sai Kandula [[ sy kan-doo-lah ]] reportedly told police his goal was to get into the White House, seize power and be put in charge of the nation.        Nearly five years after eleven people were shot to death in the Pittsburgh-area Tree of Life synagogue, the trial of their accused killer starts today. With 12 jurors and six alternates officially seated late last week, proceedings are set to begin in the trial of Robert Bowers. Federal prosecutors are looking for convictions on 63 separate counts in connection with the October 2018 mass shooting.        An Iowa apartment complex that partially collapsed Sunday night is set to be demolished today. This, after a ninth person was pulled from the rubble of the historic six-story building in Davenport yesterday. No deaths have been reported and there's no word yet on what may have caused the collapse.        The Golden Knights are moving on to the Stanley Cup Final. Las Vegas blew out the Stars 6-0 in the Western Conference Finals from Dallas. They'll face off against the Panthers in the Cup final after Florida swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance.