Solomon Bill Requires Catalytic Converter History

STATE HOUSE — Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) has introduced legislation requiring a buyer of a catalytic converter to document their origin with police to curb theft of the car parts.

The bill (2022-H 7751) would require the purchaser of a catalytic converter to obtain a copy of the registration for the vehicle from which it was removed and provide a copy to law enforcement.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts have seen a significant increase across the country since March 2020, the start of the global pandemic.

“This legislation will crack down on a crime that is extremely costly to car owners,” said Representative Solomon, who chairs the House Corporations Committee, which heard testimony on the legislation last week. “The perpetrators of this crime get pennies on the dollar for these converters while the cost of replacing them can be well over $1,000, especially if the car is damaged while criminals attempt to remove the converters quickly. This legislation would put the burden of responsibility on those who are actually accepting the catalytic converters to make sure they’re coming from legitimate sources. It will hold those who receive the converters to a high standard so they exercise a little social responsibility when dealing with those selling converters.”