sb82_LC_29_3884S_hss_18.html
09 LC 29 3884S

The House Committee on Judiciary Non-civil offers the following substitute to SB 82:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 14 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 and Code Section 16-8-12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to secondary metals recyclers and penalties for certain theft crimes, respectively, so as to provide for the regulation of theft of regulated metal property; to change a definition; to change provisions relating to transaction records; to regulate payments to persons selling certain property to secondary metals recyclers; to revise provisions relating to theft of regulated metal property; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
Article 14 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to secondary metals recyclers, is amended by revising paragraph (5) of Code Section 10-1-350, relating to definitions, as follows:
"(5) 'Personal identification card' means a current and unexpired driver's license or identification card issued by the Department of Driver Services or a similar card issued by another state, a military identification card, a passport, or an appropriate work authorization issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security, which shall contain the individual's name, address, and photograph."

SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended by revising paragraph (6) of subsection (a) of Code Section 10-1-351, relating to record of transactions, and adding a new subsection (c) to read as follows:
"(6) The name and address A photocopy of a valid personal identification card of the person delivering the regulated metal property to the secondary metals recycler;"
"(c) When the metal being purchased is a motor vehicle, the person offering to sell the motor vehicle to a secondary metals recycler shall either provide the title to such motor vehicle or fully execute a cancellation of certificate of title for scrap vehicles form as promulgated by the Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division, designated as MV-1SP, in accordance with Code Section 40-3-36. The secondary metals recycler shall forward the title or MV-1SP form to the Department of Revenue within 72 hours of receipt of the title or form."

SECTION 3.
Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"10-1-352.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the terms:
(1) 'Aluminum property' means aluminum forms designed to shape concrete.
(2) 'Copper property' means any copper wire, copper tubing, copper pipe, or any item composed completely of copper.
(b) A secondary metals recycler may pay by check or by cash for any copper property, catalytic converter, or aluminum property as follows:
(1) Cash payments shall occur no earlier than 24 hours after the copper property, catalytic converter, or aluminum property is provided to the secondary metals recycler; and
(2) Checks shall be payable only to the person named who was recorded as delivering the copper property, catalytic converter, or aluminum property to the secondary metals recycler; provided, however, that if such person is delivering the copper property, catalytic converter, or aluminum property on behalf of a governmental entity or a nonprofit or for profit business, the check may be payable to such business or entity and may also be transmitted to such business or entity.
(c) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to any transaction between business entities."

SECTION 4.
Code Section 16-8-12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to penalties for violation of Code Sections 16-8-2 through 16-8-9, is amended by revising paragraph (9) of subsection (a) as follows:
"(9) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, if the property of the theft was ferrous metals or regulated metal property, as such terms are defined in Code Section 10-1-350, and the sum of the aggregate amount of such property, in its original and undamaged condition, plus any reasonable costs which are or would be incurred in the repair or the attempt to recover any property damaged in the theft or removal of such regulated metal property, exceeds $500.00, by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both."

SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.