Anne Geggis
New rules that will help law enforcement target the illegal catalytic converter trade were readied for final passage, with one more stop before the bill is ready for the Governor’s signature.
Democratic Rep. Joe Casello of Boynton Beach and Republican Rep. Fred Hawkins of St. Cloud have proposed the legislation (HB 185) identical to a measure the Senate passed last week. And Tuesday, Hawkins swapped out his legislation for the bill (SB 306) Republican Sen. Jim Boyd proposed and the Senate passed.
“This legislation is … an effort to help law enforcement crack down on catalytic converter theft while protecting the legal market for buying and selling catalytic converters,” Hawkins said.
In championing the effort to stop the market for stolen catalytic converters in its tracks, Boyd relayed how even the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile had fallen prey to this type of theft.
The bill restricts who can purchase the detached auto part and specifies what record-keeping legitimate dealers must maintain.
A catalytic converter is the part of the car that filters out harmful byproducts in exhaust gases and burns them up. It reduces harmful emissions and improves motor vehicles’ efficiency. But those functions are not what’s fueling the illegal trade.
The palladium and platinum in each converter’s core can be worth up to $1,000 on the black market, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
A national crime ring discovered late last year was involved in the theft of $545 million in catalytic converters, according to the Justice Department. The difficulty in tracing these valuable items makes them even more attractive to criminals, testimony revealed.
In committee hearings, testimony revealed thieves had sometimes hit fleets of cars parked outside, making off with the auto part. This bill is modeled on a law that aimed to stop airbag theft.
Violating the law could mean up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
