JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The 2022 Legislative Session is underway, and State Rep. Hardy Billington hopes to pass a bill to curb the rise of catalytic converter thefts in Missouri. 

HB 1456 would require any collector, dealer, scrap metal or secondhand property service who obtains items for resale would be required to keep a register with written or electronic record of for each transaction. 

As most stolen catalytic converters are sold to scrap metal and secondhand property services, the measure hopes to legitimize each converter bought by these services and reduce thieves’ ability to resell the stolen parts.

If any transaction includes a catalytic converter, HB 1456 would require the VIN number of the vehicle that the converted came from to be recorded immediately, and require secondhand services to keep records of transactions including the sale of copper, brass, bronze and several other items and metals.

Secondhand services would also be required to get a copy of a government issued ID of the seller for documentation before being able to purchase any materials. Buyers must document the date, time and place of transaction, as well as the vehicle’s license plate number and full description of the items being bought. 

If passed, anyone who knowingly purchases a stolen and detached catalytic converter will be subject to a $5,000 fine for the first violation, a $10,000 fine for the second violation and will have their business license revoked by the state of Missouri if a third violation occurs. 

As the legislative session picks up speed in the coming weeks, a hearing on HB 1456 is expected to be scheduled on the House calendar soon.