Bill > S2235

This bill establishes new regulations for dealing with secondary metals, which are metals that have been used and are being resold or recycled. It mandates the creation of an alert system, similar to one used by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), to help law enforcement track and monitor transactions involving both raw metals (like scrap metal) and consumer metals (like old electronics). This system will be managed by the executive office of public safety and security in cooperation with the department of criminal justice information services, and its operation will be funded by a new Secondary Metals Registry Trust Fund. This fund will be comprised of money collected from fees and fines related to secondary metals dealings, with 50% of fines distributed to the municipality where the violation occurred and 50% to the executive office for the alert system. The bill also introduces new chapters defining "raw metals" and "consumer metals," requiring registration or licensing for dealers, and outlining specific record-keeping requirements, including details about sellers, the metals traded, and transaction dates. It prohibits dealers from knowingly accepting certain stolen or identifiable items, such as street signs or manhole covers, and imposes penalties for violations, including fines and potential suspension or revocation of licenses. Importantly, records collected through this system will not be considered public records but will be accessible to law enforcement agencies. The bill also repeals existing sections of law related to old metals and makes conforming amendments to existing statutes to include secondary metals dealers.