Missouri 2025 2025 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HB304 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 01/03/2025

                    HB304--DETACHEDCATALYTICCONVERTERS
SPONSOR: Smith(46)
ThisbillrequiresasalvagelicensefromtheDepartmentofRevenue
pursuanttoSections301.217through301.229,RSMo,toengagein
thebuyingorsellingofcatalyticconverters.
Thebillrequiresscrapmetaldealersandothersregulatedunder
Section407.300torequireproofthatthesellerofadetached
catalyticconverterisabonafideautomobilerepairshoporan
affidavitthattheconverterwaslawfullyacquired. Themake,
model,year,andvehicleidentification numberofthevehiclefrom
whichtheconverteroriginatedwillberequiredandmaintainedfor
fouryears.Recordswillbesubmittedatleastmonthlytothe
DepartmentofRevenueonaformprovidedbytheDepartmentin
eitherapaperorelectronicformatasspecifiedinthebill.
Currently,anyonewhoknowinglypurchasesastolencatalytic
converterinviolationthissectionwillbesubjecttopenaltiesas
providedinthesection. Thisbillremovestherequirementthat
thepurchaserknowsthecatalyticconverterisstolenandprovides
anyoneconvictedofviolatingthissectionisguiltyofaclassE
felonyinadditiontobeingsubjecttohavinganybusinesslicense
underSection301.218revoked.
Thisbillclarifiesthatminorpartsofheatingandcooling
equipmentandequipmentusedinthegenerationandtransmissionof
electricalpowerortelecommunications, includinganycatalytic
converterofsuchequipment,remainssubjecttotheprovisionsof
Section407.300.
Thebilladdsthatapersoncommitstheoffenseofstealingunder
Section570.030if,forthepurposeofdeprivingtheownerofa
lawfulinteresttherein,heorshereceives,retains,ordisposes
ofacatalyticconverterandknowsithasbeenstolen,believesit
hasbeenstolen,orreasonablyshouldhavesuspectedthatsuch
propertywasstolen.
Thisbillestablishestheoffenseofunlawfulpossessionofa
detachedcatalyticconverterunderSection570.031. Thisoffense
isaclassEfelony.Apersoncommitstheoffenseofunlawful
possessionofadetachedcatalyticconverteriftheperson
possessesacatalyticconverterwiththeintenttosellunless:
(1)Thecatalyticconverterispossessedinthecourseof
legitimatebusiness; (2)Thecatalyticconverterisacomponentorconstituentpartof
anitemorequipmentownedbytheindividual;or
(3)Thepossessionofthecatalyticconverterisforsomeother
lawfulpurpose.
ThisbillisthesameasHB2066(2024).