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S.B. 194


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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-26-2008 rd/
This document includes Senate Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 9:53 AM by rday. --> This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 11:24 AM by rday. -->              1
    
METAL THEFT AMENDMENTS AND

             2     
PENALTIES

             3     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Jon J. Greiner

             6     
House Sponsor: Brad L. Dee

             7     

             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies the Criminal Code provisions regarding transactions of regulated
             11      metals.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    defines wire made of regulated metal as a suspect metal if the wire has been burned;
             15      S. [     .    requires a fingerprint of a seller of regulated metal if the seller does not have in state
             16      identification;
] .S

             17          .    requires that a dealer hold suspect metal for seven days before selling it;
             18          .    requires that a dealer's purchase of regulated metal that exceeds $100 may not be
             19      paid for in cash; and
             20          .    provides that a defendant is liable for restitution for damages caused during the
             21      course of committing or attempting to commit a theft of regulated metal, and that
             22      the victim may also bring a civil action for damages.
             23      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          None
             25      Other Special Clauses:
             26          None
             27      Utah Code Sections Affected:



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Senate Committee Amendments 2-19-2008 rd/sca
             28
     AMENDS:
             29          76-10-901, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 320
             30          76-10-907, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 320
             31          76-10-907.3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 320
             32      ENACTS:
             33          76-6-412.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34          76-10-907.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             35     

             36      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             37          Section 1. Section 76-6-412.5 is enacted to read:
             38          76-6-412.5. Property damage caused in the course of committing a theft.
             39           S. [ (1) ] .S If a defendant who commits or attempts to commit theft as defined in Section
             40      76-6-404 of regulated metal as defined in Section 76-10-901 and in the course of committing
             41      or attempting to commit the theft causes damage to any person's real or personal property other
             42      than the regulated metal, the defendant is liable for restitution for all costs incurred due to the
             43      damage to the person's property.
             44           S. [ (2) Criminal prosecution for theft of regulated metal does not affect the right of a
             45      person to bring a civil action for damages as described in Subsection (1), including court costs
             46      and reasonable attorney fees.
] .S

             47          Section 2. Section 76-10-901 is amended to read:
             48           76-10-901. Definitions.
             49          As used in this part:
             50          (1) "Dealer" means any scrap metal processor or secondary metals dealer or recycler,
             51      but does not include junk dealers or solid waste management facilities as defined in Section
             52      19-6-502 .
             53          (2) "Ferrous metal" means a metal that contains significant quantities of iron or steel.
             54          (3) "Identification" means a form of positive identification issued by a governmental
             55      entity that:
             56          (a) contains a numerical identifier and a photograph of the person identified;
             57          (b) provides the date of birth of the person identified; and
             58          (c) includes a state identification card, a state driver license, a United States military



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             59
     identification card, or a United States passport.
             60          (4) "Junk dealer" means all persons, firms, or corporations engaged in the business of
             61      purchasing or selling secondhand or castoff material, including ropes, cordage, bottles,
             62      bagging, rags, rubber, paper, and other like materials, but not including regulated metal.
             63          (5) "Local law enforcement agency" means the law enforcement agency that has
             64      jurisdiction over the area where the dealer's business is located.
             65          (6) "Nonferrous metal":
             66          (a) means a metal that does not contain significant quantities of iron or steel; and
             67          (b) includes copper, brass, aluminum, bronze, lead, zinc, nickel, and their alloys.
             68          (7) (a) "Regulated metal" means any item composed primarily of nonferrous metal,
             69      except as provided in Subsection (7)(c).
             70          (b) "Regulated metal" includes:
             71          (i) aluminum, brass, copper, lead, chromium, tin, nickel, or alloys of these metals,
             72      except under Subsection (7)(c);
             73          (ii) property owned by, and also identified by marking or other means as the property
             74      of:
             75          (A) a telephone, cable, electric, water, or other utility; or
             76          (B) a railroad company;
             77          (iii) unused and undamaged building construction materials made of metal or alloy,
             78      including:
             79          (A) copper pipe, tubing, or wiring; and
             80          (B) aluminum wire, siding, downspouts, or gutters;
             81          (iv) oil well rigs;
             82          (v) nonferrous materials, stainless steel, and nickel; and
             83          (vi) irrigation pipe.
             84          (c) "Regulated metal" does not include:
             85          (i) ferrous metal, except as provided in Subsection (7)(b)(ii) or (iv);
             86          (ii) household generated recyclable materials;
             87          (iii) items composed wholly of tin;
             88          (iv) aluminum beverage containers; or
             89          (v) containers used solely for containing food.



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             90
         (8) "Secondary metals dealer or recycler" means any person who:
             91          (a) is engaged in the business of purchasing, collecting, or soliciting regulated metal; or
             92          (b) operates or maintains a facility where regulated metal is purchased or kept for
             93      shipment, sale, transfer, or salvage.
             94          (9) "Scrap metal processor" means any person who, from a fixed location, utilizes
             95      machinery and equipment for processing and manufacturing iron, steel, or nonferrous scrap
             96      into prepared grades, and whose principal product is scrap iron, scrap steel, or nonferrous
             97      metallic scrap, not including precious metals, for sale for remelting purposes.
             98          (10) "Suspect metal items" are the following items made of regulated metal:
             99          (a) manhole covers and sewer grates;
             100          (b) gas meters and water meters;
             101          (c) traffic signs, street signs, aluminum street light poles, communications transmission
             102      towers, and guard rails;
             103          (d) grave site monument vases and monument plaques;
             104          (e) any monument plaque;
             105          (f) brass or bronze bar stock and bar ends;
             106          (g) ingots;
             107          (h) nickel and nickel alloys containing greater than 50% nickel; [and]
             108          (i) #1 and #2 copper as defined by the most recent institute of Scrap Recycling
             109      Industries, Inc., Scrap Specifications Circular and unused and undamaged building materials,
             110      including:
             111          (i) greenline copper;
             112          (ii) copper pipe, tubing, or wiring; or
             113          (iii) aluminum wire, siding, downspouts, or gutters[.]; and
             114          (j) wire that has been burned or that has the appearance of having been burned.
             115          Section 3. Section 76-10-907 is amended to read:
             116           76-10-907. Records of sales and purchases -- Identification required.
             117          (1) Every dealer shall:
             118          (a) require the information under Subsection (2) for each transaction of regulated
             119      metal, except under Subsection 76-10-907.3 (4); and
             120          (b) maintain for each purchase of regulated metal the information required by this part



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Senate 2nd Reading Amendments 2-26-2008 rd/
             121
     in a written or electronic log, in the English language.
             122          (2) The dealer shall require the following information of the seller and shall record the
             123      information as required under Subsection (1) for each purchase of regulated metal:
             124          (a) a complete description of the regulated metal, including weight and metallic
             125      description, in accordance with scrap metal recycling industry standards;
             126          (b) the full name and residence of each person selling the regulated metal;
             127          (c) the vehicle type and license plate number, if applicable, of the vehicle transporting
             128      the regulated metal to the dealer;
             129          (d) the price per pound and the amount paid for each type of regulated metal purchased
             130      by the dealer;
             131          (e) the date, time, and place of the purchase;
             132          (f) the type and number of the identification provided in Subsection (2)(g);
             133          (g) at least one form of identification;
             134          (h) the seller's signature on a certificate stating that he has the legal right to sell the
             135      scrap metal or junk; [and]
             136          (i) a digital photograph or still video of the seller, taken at the time of the sale, or a
             137      clearly legible photocopy of the seller's identification[.]; and
             138           S. [ (j) if the identification provided by the seller is issued by an entity outside of Utah, the
             139      seller shall also require a legible fingerprint of the seller's right thumb, or if the right thumb
             140      cannot be fingerprinted, a legible fingerprint of the seller with a written notation identifying the
             141      fingerprint and the reason why the thumb print was unavailable.
] .S

             142          (3) No entry in the log may be erased, deleted, mutilated, or changed.
             143          (4) The log and entries shall be open to inspection by the following officials having
             144      jurisdiction over the area in which the dealer does business during regular business hours:
             145          (a) the county sheriff or deputies;
             146          (b) any law enforcement agency; and
             147          (c) any constable or other state, municipal, or county official in the county in which
             148      the dealer does business.
             149          (5) A dealer shall make these records available for inspection by any law enforcement
             150      agency, upon request, at the dealer's place of business during the dealer's regular business
             151      hours.



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             152
         (6) Log entries made under this section shall be maintained for not less than one year
             153      from date of entry.
             154          (7) The dealer may maintain the information required by Subsection (2) [may be
             155      maintained] for repeat sellers who use the same vehicle to bring regulated metal for each
             156      transaction in a relational database that allows the dealer to enter an initial record of the seller's
             157      information and then relate subsequent transaction records to that initial information.
             158          (8) This section does not apply to a single purchase of regulated metal by a dealer if:
             159          (a) the weight of regulated metal is less than 50 pounds; and
             160          (b) the price paid to the seller is less than $100.
             161          Section 4. Section 76-10-907.3 is amended to read:
             162           76-10-907.3. Restrictions on the purchase of regulated metal -- Exemption.
             163          (1) A dealer may conduct purchase transactions involving regulated metal only
             164      between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
             165          (2) Except when the dealer pays a government entity by check for regulated metal, the
             166      dealer may not purchase any of the following regulated metal without obtaining and keeping on
             167      file reasonable documentation that the seller is an employee, agent, or contractor of a
             168      governmental entity who is authorized to sell the item of regulated metal property on behalf of
             169      the governmental entity:
             170          (a) a manhole cover or sewer grate;
             171          (b) an electric light pole; or
             172          (c) a guard rail.
             173          (3) (a) A dealer may not purchase suspect metal without obtaining the information
             174      under Subsection (3)(b) identifying the owner of the suspect metal.
             175          (b) The owner of the suspect metal shall provide in writing:
             176          (i) his telephone number;
             177          (ii) his business or residential address;
             178          (iii) a copy of his driver license; and
             179          (iv) a signed statement that he is the lawful owner of the suspect metal and that he
             180      authorizes the seller, whom he has identified by name, to sell the suspect metal.
             181          (c) The dealer shall keep the identifying information provided in Subsection (3)(b) on
             182      file for not less than one year.



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Senate Committee Amendments 2-19-2008 rd/sca
             183
         (4) Transactions with businesses that have an established account with the dealer are
             184      exempt from the requirements of Subsections (2) and (3) if the business holds a valid business
             185      license, and:
             186          (a) (i) the dealer has on file a statement from the business identifying those employees
             187      authorized to sell all metals to the dealer; and
             188          (ii) the dealer conducts regulated metal transactions only with those identified
             189      employees of the business and records the name of the employee when recording the
             190      transaction;
             191          (b) the dealer has on file reasonable documentation from the business that any person
             192      verified as representing the business as an employee, and whom the dealer has verified is an
             193      employee, may sell regulated metal; or
             194          (c) the dealer makes payment for regulated metal purchased from a person by issuing a
             195      check to the business employing the seller.
             196           S. [ (5) The dealer shall hold suspect metal for seven days after the date of purchase before
             197      selling it.
] .S

             198          Section 5. Section 76-10-907.5 is enacted to read:
             199          76-10-907.5. Transactions over $100 may not be in cash.
             200          A dealer making a purchase of more than $100 worth of regulated metal in a single
             201      transaction shall pay for the metal by check or money order, and may not pay by cash.





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