State Rep. Bill Roemer | The Ohio House of Representatives
State Rep. Bill Roemer | The Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House recently passed House Bill 328, a measure aimed at enhancing law enforcement's ability to investigate and combat catalytic converter theft. State Representative Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) announced the legislation, which seeks to protect consumers and establish clearer guidelines for businesses.
Catalytic converters, containing valuable metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, can be stolen in about three minutes. The quick turnaround makes them appealing targets for those needing fast cash. "We’ve seen social service agencies having their catalytic converters stolen so they couldn’t serve our most vulnerable constituents," said Roemer. "This is a finely crafted bill that I’ve worked on for almost four years. House Bill 328 will protect Ohioans."
The legislation introduces several safeguards:
- Requires scrap metal dealers and other buyers of used catalytic converters to adhere to additional recordkeeping, reporting, and process requirements.
- Enhances penalties for theft when the item stolen is a catalytic converter.
- Increases penalties for receiving stolen property when the item involved is a catalytic converter.
House Bill 328 now advances to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.
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