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Senate Bill 224 |
Senate Author: Alvarado et al. |
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Effective: See below |
House Sponsor: Leach et al. |
Senate Bill 224, the Deputy Darren Almendarez Act, amends the Occupations Code, Penal Code, and Transportation Code to establish criminal offenses and increased penalties related to the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles and to set out additional regulations for certain transactions involving catalytic converters. Among other provisions, the bill requires metal recycling entities to maintain a fixed location for conducting their business activities and to submit additional information and declarations when applying for a certificate of registration, establishes limited circumstances under which such entities may purchase or otherwise acquire a catalytic converter removed from a motor vehicle, requires such entities to maintain and permit inspection of detailed records of each such transaction, and provides for the imposition of administrative penalties on noncompliant entities. Additionally, the bill prohibits vehicle repair entities and used vehicle sellers and purchasers from buying or selling catalytic converters unless the converter was removed from a vehicle in connection with their repair of the vehicle and establishes records requirements for certain entities that engage in the sale or transfer of catalytic converters removed from motor vehicles. Finally, the bill requires the Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority to develop and implement a plan to coordinate with certain appropriate state agencies to review the records of regulated entities pertaining to transactions involving catalytic converters and respond to suspicious activity detected in analyzing the records. Except as otherwise provided by the bill, the bill takes effect May 29, 2023.