S.B. 92 Enrolled

             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;
             14          .    provides a definition of a metals refiner; and
             15          .    requires that the identification provided for transactions in regulated metals be a
             16      form of identification provided by a state or the federal government.
             17      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23           76-6-1402 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 187
             24           76-6-1403 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 187
             25     
             26      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             27          Section 1. Section 76-6-1402 is amended to read:
             28           76-6-1402. Definitions.
             29          As used in this part:

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

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

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             86          (a) manhole covers and sewer grates;
             87          (b) gas meters and water meters;
             88          (c) traffic signs, street signs, aluminum street light poles, communications transmission
             89      towers, and guard rails;
             90          (d) grave site monument vases and monument plaques;
             91          (e) any monument plaque;
             92          (f) brass or bronze bar stock and bar ends;
             93          (g) ingots;
             94          (h) nickel and nickel alloys containing greater than 50% nickel;
             95          (i) #1 and #2 copper as defined by the most recent institute of Scrap Recycling
             96      Industries, Inc., Scrap Specifications Circular;
             97          (j) unused and undamaged building materials, including:
             98          (i) greenline copper;
             99          (ii) copper pipe, tubing, or wiring; and
             100          (iii) aluminum wire, siding, downspouts, or gutters;
             101          (k) catalytic converters; and
             102          (l) wire that has been burned or that has the appearance of having been burned.
             103          Section 2. Section 76-6-1403 is amended to read:
             104           76-6-1403. Records of sales and purchases -- Identification required.
             105          (1) Every dealer shall:
             106          (a) require the information under Subsection (2) for each transaction of regulated
             107      metal, except under Subsection 76-6-1406 (4); and
             108          (b) maintain for each purchase of regulated metal the information required by this part
             109      in a written or electronic log, in the English language.
             110          (2) The dealer shall require the following information of the seller and shall record the
             111      information as required under Subsection (1) for each purchase of regulated metal:
             112          (a) a complete description of the regulated metal, including weight and metallic
             113      description, in accordance with scrap metal recycling industry standards;

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             114          (b) the full name and residence of each person selling the regulated metal;
             115          (c) the vehicle type and license plate number, if applicable, of the vehicle transporting
             116      the regulated metal to the dealer;
             117          (d) the price per pound and the amount paid for each type of regulated metal purchased
             118      by the dealer;
             119          (e) the date, time, and place of the purchase;
             120          (f) the type and the identifying number of the identification provided in Subsection
             121      (2)(g);
             122          (g) [at least one] a form of identification that is a valid United States federal or
             123      state-issued photo ID, which includes a driver license, a United States passport, a United States
             124      passport card, or a United States military identification card;
             125          (h) the seller's signature on a certificate stating that he has the legal right to sell the
             126      scrap metal or junk; and
             127          (i) a digital photograph or still video of the seller, taken at the time of the sale, or a
             128      clearly legible photocopy of the seller's identification.
             129          (3) No entry in the log may be erased, deleted, mutilated, or changed.
             130          (4) The log and entries shall be open to inspection by the following officials having
             131      jurisdiction over the area in which the dealer does business during regular business hours:
             132          (a) the county sheriff or deputies;
             133          (b) any law enforcement agency; and
             134          (c) any constable or other state, municipal, or county official in the county in which the
             135      dealer does business.
             136          (5) A dealer shall make these records available for inspection by any law enforcement
             137      agency, upon request, at the dealer's place of business during the dealer's regular business
             138      hours.
             139          (6) Log entries made under this section shall be maintained for not less than three years
             140      from date of entry.
             141          (7) (a) The dealer may maintain the information required by Subsection (2) for repeat

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             142      sellers who use the same vehicle to bring regulated metal for each transaction in a relational
             143      database that allows the dealer to enter an initial record of the seller's information and then
             144      relate subsequent transaction records to that initial information, except under Subsection (7)(b).
             145          (b) The dealer shall obtain regarding each transaction with repeat sellers:
             146          (i) a photograph of the seller; and
             147          (ii) a signature from the seller.

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