S.B. 92

             1     

METAL THEFT AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Gene Davis

             5     
House Sponsor: Lynn N. Hemingway

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Utah Criminal Code regarding the theft of metal.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides that the records and identification requirements regarding transactions in
             13      regulated metal apply also to persons who refine or melt regulated metals; and
             14          .    requires that the identification provided for transactions in regulated metals be a
             15      form of identification provided by a state or the federal government.
             16      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             17          None
             18      Other Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             21      AMENDS:
             22           76-6-1402 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 187
             23           76-6-1403 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 187
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 76-6-1402 is amended to read:
             27           76-6-1402. Definitions.


             28          As used in this part:
             29          (1) "Catalytic converter" means a motor vehicle exhaust system component that
             30      reduces vehicle emissions by breaking down harmful exhaust emissions.
             31          (2) "Dealer" means [any]:
             32          (a) a scrap metal processor or secondary metals dealer or recycler, but does not include
             33      junk dealers or solid waste management facilities as defined in Section 19-6-502 [.]; or
             34          (b) a metals refiner.
             35          (3) "Ferrous metal" means a metal that contains significant quantities of iron or steel.
             36          (4) "Identification" means a form of positive identification issued by a state of the
             37      United States or the United States federal government that:
             38          (a) contains a numerical identifier and a photograph of the person identified;
             39          (b) provides the date of birth of the person identified; and
             40          (c) includes a state identification card, a state driver license, a United States military
             41      identification card, or a United States passport.
             42          (5) "Junk dealer" means all persons, firms, or corporations engaged in the business of
             43      purchasing or selling secondhand or castoff material, including ropes, cordage, bottles,
             44      bagging, rags, rubber, paper, and other like materials, but not including regulated metal.
             45          (6) "Local law enforcement agency" means the law enforcement agency that has
             46      jurisdiction over the area where the dealer's business is located.
             47          (7) "Metals refiner" means an individual or business that refines or melts any regulated
             48      metal.
             49          [(7)] (8) "Nonferrous metal":
             50          (a) means a metal that does not contain significant quantities of iron or steel; and
             51          (b) includes copper, brass, aluminum, bronze, lead, zinc, nickel, and their alloys.
             52          [(8)] (9) (a) "Regulated metal" means any item composed primarily of nonferrous
             53      metal, except as provided in Subsection [(8)] (9)(c).
             54          (b) "Regulated metal" includes:
             55          (i) aluminum, brass, copper, lead, chromium, tin, nickel, or alloys of these metals,
             56      except under Subsection [(8)] (9)(c);
             57          (ii) property owned by, and also identified by marking or other means as the property
             58      of:


             59          (A) a telephone, cable, electric, water, or other utility; or
             60          (B) a railroad company;
             61          (iii) unused and undamaged building construction materials made of metal or alloy,
             62      including:
             63          (A) copper pipe, tubing, or wiring; and
             64          (B) aluminum wire, siding, downspouts, or gutters;
             65          (iv) oil well rigs, including any part of the rig;
             66          (v) nonferrous materials, stainless steel, and nickel; and
             67          (vi) irrigation pipe.
             68          (c) "Regulated metal" does not include:
             69          (i) ferrous metal, except as provided in Subsection [(8)] (9)(b)(ii) or (iv);
             70          (ii) household-generated recyclable materials;
             71          (iii) items composed wholly of light iron or sheet steel;
             72          (iv) aluminum beverage containers; or
             73          (v) containers used solely for containing food.
             74          [(9)] (10) "Secondary metals dealer or recycler" means any person who:
             75          (a) is engaged in the business of purchasing, collecting, or soliciting regulated metal; or
             76          (b) operates or maintains a facility where regulated metal is purchased or kept for
             77      shipment, sale, transfer, or salvage.
             78          [(10)] (11) "Scrap metal processor" means any person:
             79          (a) who, from a fixed location, utilizes machinery and equipment for processing and
             80      manufacturing iron, steel, or nonferrous scrap into prepared grades; and
             81          (b) whose principal product is scrap iron, scrap steel, or nonferrous metallic scrap, not
             82      including precious metals, for sale for remelting purposes.
             83          [(11)] (12) "Suspect metal items" are the following items made of regulated metal:
             84          (a) manhole covers and sewer grates;
             85          (b) gas meters and water meters;
             86          (c) traffic signs, street signs, aluminum street light poles, communications transmission
             87      towers, and guard rails;
             88          (d) grave site monument vases and monument plaques;
             89          (e) any monument plaque;


             90          (f) brass or bronze bar stock and bar ends;
             91          (g) ingots;
             92          (h) nickel and nickel alloys containing greater than 50% nickel;
             93          (i) #1 and #2 copper as defined by the most recent institute of Scrap Recycling
             94      Industries, Inc., Scrap Specifications Circular;
             95          (j) unused and undamaged building materials, including:
             96          (i) greenline copper;
             97          (ii) copper pipe, tubing, or wiring; and
             98          (iii) aluminum wire, siding, downspouts, or gutters;
             99          (k) catalytic converters; and
             100          (l) wire that has been burned or that has the appearance of having been burned.
             101          Section 2. Section 76-6-1403 is amended to read:
             102           76-6-1403. Records of sales and purchases -- Identification required.
             103          (1) Every dealer shall:
             104          (a) require the information under Subsection (2) for each transaction of regulated
             105      metal, except under Subsection 76-6-1406 (4); and
             106          (b) maintain for each purchase of regulated metal the information required by this part
             107      in a written or electronic log, in the English language.
             108          (2) The dealer shall require the following information of the seller and shall record the
             109      information as required under Subsection (1) for each purchase of regulated metal:
             110          (a) a complete description of the regulated metal, including weight and metallic
             111      description, in accordance with scrap metal recycling industry standards;
             112          (b) the full name and residence of each person selling the regulated metal;
             113          (c) the vehicle type and license plate number, if applicable, of the vehicle transporting
             114      the regulated metal to the dealer;
             115          (d) the price per pound and the amount paid for each type of regulated metal purchased
             116      by the dealer;
             117          (e) the date, time, and place of the purchase;
             118          (f) the type and the identifying number of the identification provided in Subsection
             119      (2)(g);
             120          (g) [at least one] a form of identification that is a valid United States federal or


             121      state-issued photo ID, which includes a driver license, a United States passport, a United States
             122      passport card, or a United States military identification card;
             123          (h) the seller's signature on a certificate stating that he has the legal right to sell the
             124      scrap metal or junk; and
             125          (i) a digital photograph or still video of the seller, taken at the time of the sale, or a
             126      clearly legible photocopy of the seller's identification.
             127          (3) No entry in the log may be erased, deleted, mutilated, or changed.
             128          (4) The log and entries shall be open to inspection by the following officials having
             129      jurisdiction over the area in which the dealer does business during regular business hours:
             130          (a) the county sheriff or deputies;
             131          (b) any law enforcement agency; and
             132          (c) any constable or other state, municipal, or county official in the county in which the
             133      dealer does business.
             134          (5) A dealer shall make these records available for inspection by any law enforcement
             135      agency, upon request, at the dealer's place of business during the dealer's regular business
             136      hours.
             137          (6) Log entries made under this section shall be maintained for not less than three years
             138      from date of entry.
             139          (7) (a) The dealer may maintain the information required by Subsection (2) for repeat
             140      sellers who use the same vehicle to bring regulated metal for each transaction in a relational
             141      database that allows the dealer to enter an initial record of the seller's information and then
             142      relate subsequent transaction records to that initial information, except under Subsection (7)(b).
             143          (b) The dealer shall obtain regarding each transaction with repeat sellers:
             144          (i) a photograph of the seller; and
             145          (ii) a signature from the seller.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-22-14 5:56 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]