Ohio lawmakers this month passed a bill that aims to protect consumers from catalytic converter theft.
House Bill 210 creates more transparent guidelines for businesses, including requiring scrap dealers and other buyers of used catalytic converters to comply with recordkeeping, reporting, and transaction requirements and establishes penalties for noncompliance.
Additionally, the bill makes catalytic converter theft a felony of the fifth degree.
Catalytic converter thefts skyrocketed between 2020-22 as a way for criminals to steal precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium and resell them. The number of catalytic converter theft claims peaked in 2022, when there were approximately 45,000 claims totaling $115 million, according to State Farm data.
Catalytic converter theft claims may be covered under an auto insurance policy that has comprehensive coverage.
Claims for catalytic converter theft decreased substantially in 2023 and the first half of 2024. More recent claims data isn’t available.
Under the Ohio legislation, the Director of Public Safety will have more authority related to the oversight and investigation of scrap metal dealers and other buyers of used catalytic converters. The bill prohibits motor vehicle salvage dealers from purchasing or accepting catalytic converters.
Rep. Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), the bill’s sponsor, said he began legislation on the issue after catalytic converters were stolen from vehicles at his church.
“Catalytic theft is a plague on working Ohioans, and I’m excited to announce House Bill 210 was sent to the Governor after almost unanimously passing the legislature,” said Roemer. “I have worked on this issue for more than six years because I have seen firsthand the disruption and financial hardship these thefts can cause.”
The bill heads to the desk of Governor Mike DeWine.
Source: Ohio House of Representatives
Topics
Legislation
Fraud
Ohio
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