Assigned to RAGE FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1450
study committee; scrap metal theft
Purpose
Establishes the Study Committee on Scrap Metal Theft (Study Committee).
Background
Statute regulates dealers and prohibits cities, towns and counties from enacting or enforcing
ordinances, rules or regulations that conflict with statute. A dealer is a person or business entity,
except licensed automotive recyclers, that is engaged in the business of purchasing, trading,
bartering or otherwise receiving secondhand or castoff material commonly known as scrap metal.
Dealers must register with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and update registration
information every two years (A.R.S. ยง 44-1641).
Dealers must maintain scrap metal transaction records (transaction records) for one year
and submit the records to DPS within 24 hours after receiving the scrap metals. Each transaction
record must include: 1) the seller's name, physical description, address, date of birth, signature,
photo identification, transaction privilege tax number and right index fingerprint; 2) a photograph
and an identifying description and weight of the specific scrap metal received; 3) a photograph or
video or digital record of the seller; 4) the number and state of issuance of the license on the vehicle
used for delivery; and 5) the date, time, place and amount of the transaction. DPS provides law
enforcement agencies with access to a database of all records for investigative and compliance
purposes. Failure to comply with the recordkeeping requirements is a class 1 misdemeanor (A.R.S.
Title 44, Chapter 11, Article 3.1).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committee, consisting of the following members:
a) two persons who are currently certified as peace officers and who have experience with
scrap metal thefts in Arizona and separately appointed by the President of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
b) two persons who are currently registered as scrap metal dealers and separately appointed
by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
c) two members of the public who have been impacted by scrap metal theft and separately
appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
and
d) one person from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office who can provide information on
scrap metal theft prosecutions and is appointed by the Maricopa County Attorney. FACT SHEET
S.B. 1450
Page 2
2. Requires the Study Committee to:
a) examine whether current statute regulating to scrap metal dealers deters crime;
b) evaluate the scrap metal industry's costs spent for complying with current statute regulating
scrap metal dealers;
c) review current statute regulating scrap metal dealers, and other related statutes to determine
whether the existing civil penalties and criminal fines adequately regulate the scrap metal
industry; and
d) submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the State by
December 1, 2025.
3. Repeals the Study Committee on January 1, 2026.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2025
JT/JRM/ci