HCS HB 490 -- SCRAP METAL SALES

SPONSOR:  Ervin (Baker, 123)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Small Business by a vote of 7 to 0.

This substitute requires any person selling scrap metal to
provide photo identification to the purchaser and requires the
purchaser to maintain records of sales of scrap metal for at
least three years.  Scrap metal includes iron, copper, zinc, tin,
steel, aluminum, titanium, metallic cables and wires, and other
similar materials.  Transactions of $50 or less or 50 pounds or
less of scrap metal and transactions where an established scrap
metal dealer is the seller are excluded from the substitute.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2008, FY 2009, and
FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will provide a database
for law enforcement and help reduce the theft of metals.  Current
law is not enough to stop these thefts from home and business
construction sites, historic sites, and live electrical wire.
With the price of copper fluctuating, a limit related to weight
could be added to a substitute.  Kansas has passed a similar law.
The bill is a way to help with the theft problem without
burdening the metal dealers too much.  Scrap metal dealers are
small business owners and have a problem with theft at their
businesses also.  When scrap metal is sold, it rarely looks like
it did when it was stolen.  Often it is cut up with the
insulation removed.  Law enforcement doesn't alert dealers to
watch for these type of items which are known to be stolen.  The
scrap metal industry is different than the scrap auto parts
business, and titled vehicle transactions should be excluded from
these requirements.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Baker (123); Recycle
Missouri, Incorporated; Missouri Retailers Association; Raynard
Brown, Glamba Metals Group, LLC; Tony Ross, American Compressed
Steel, Incorporated; Sanford Leving, Kansas City Iron Metal; and
Missouri Auto and Truck Recyclers Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:19 am