Jan. 25, 2023—New legislation proposed in the Minnesota House will be targeted toward stopping catalytic converter thefts.
The bill introduced “new criminal penalties for the possession or sale of the car part,” reports CBS Minnesota.
If passed, the bill would make the process for scrap dealers to purchase catalytic converters more rigorous, such as labeling each part and obtaining the original vehicle’s license and registration. An electronic database would then be set up for law enforcement to keep track of the parts.
One of the concerns over the bill is the potential delay of scrap dealers receiving parts, as voiced by Jeremy Estenson, a lobbyist for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
While catalytic converter thefts have been a problem nationwide, it is especially so in Minnesota, the state ranking “fifth in the nation for the number of insurance claims related to catalytic converter thefts,” reported CBS Minnesota.
Republicans and Democrats both advanced the bill from committee with more hearings in the House to follow.
