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May 02, 2023

Gone in 60 Seconds: Division over 'theft' in catalytic converter theft bill

OLYMPIA - A Washington Senate bill aims to crack down on rampant catalytic

OLYMPIA - A Washington Senate bill aims to crack down on rampant catalytic converter thefts that have put the state worst in the nation. However, Senate Bill 5740 sponsored by Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, has left industry and law enforcement groups divided over the bill's provisions that underscore the ease with which the thefts can occur and difficulty in tracking down stolen car parts.

"You’re squeezing us about as hard as you can without getting to the actual issue of possession and the individuals who are actually cutting these [catalytic converters] off," Holly Chisa with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries told the Senate Transportation Committee at a March 30 public hearing.

Last year, the state legislature enacted House Bill 1815, which created a catalytic converter theft work group that released a January report with recommendations on how to tackle the crisis.

Among the recommendations:

SB 5740 would do the following:

Wilson told the Senate Transportation Committee the bill "puts emphasis where it needs to be, which is the inspection process by law enforcement." However, he added that "this bill is not perfected, and I realize that. This is everything from an individual crime to organized crime. I believe we’re almost there. This is something that we do need to stand up and do. We are going to be looking. We are going to be enforcing."

Testifying in support of the bill, Schnitzer Steel lobbyist Brad Tower said it was "an important measure moving in the right direction."

However, Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, or WASPC, Deputy Policy Director Taylor Gardner told the committee that there was a "missing component" in the bill, which was the "'theft’ part of catalytic converter theft. We don't think there's a provision in this bill that actually addressing the theft or the possession up unto that point of sale."

She added that "the bill is about how as far as we can go in regulating the industry."

One of the reasons, she noted, is that "when there's a gap between the actual theft and where it lands at the industry, we’re leaving a lot of time in space."

Another is that, under certain circumstances, a catalytic converter can be removed in as little time as 60 seconds.

Additionally, catalytic converters don't have unique identification markers that connect it to any vehicle.

"The problem is once it's off, we don't know what car it came from and to whom it once belonged," Gardner said.

James King with the Independent Business Association was harshly critical of the legislation, arguing that it did not reflect the work group's final report. "The legislature has basically ignored those recommendations and that work," he said. "This bill does not do anything of the things that need to be done to tackle catalytic converter theft."

SB 5740 was scheduled for an April 4 committee vote, but no action was taken.

Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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