Dear Neighbors, I hope this email finds you well and that you are staying warm. Our work continues at the legislature and the pace will quicken as we approach deadlines to pass bills through committee. I'm working hard with the House Taxes and Property Taxes chairs to find sustainable solutions to lower costs for retirees, homeowners, and renters. Our public works investment and jobs bill is crafted and continues to move forward. We recently passed a significant bill to help prevent all-too-common catalytic converter thefts and enhance penalties around illegal possession and sale. You may recall the federal catalytic converter theft ring bust Minnesota participated in last fall, in which twenty of our state law enforcement agencies helped with the investigation. Catalytic converter theft is expensive and time-consuming for Minnesotans stuck without a vehicle, and last week, we took action to make it harder for thieves to make a quick and hefty buck from scrap dealers. The bill cracks down on theft by prohibiting anyone from possessing a used, unattached catalytic converter unless the owner has the vehicle identification number (VIN) for the vehicle, and the date the converter was removed from the vehicle. It prohibits the sale and purchase of catalytic converters by anyone other than registered scrap metal dealers and would impose a fine of up to $10,000 for unlawful possession and sale. Also in the bill, scrap metal dealers must collect certain information to aid law enforcement and enter data into an electronic database. Over the weekend, I had the honor of attending the Minnesota Professional Police and Peace Officer Convention in Duluth. It was great to speak with officers about how we can partner together on more recruitment and retention of our police officers. If we can pass this catalytic converter theft prevention bill into law, we can help thwart theft and give law enforcement the tools they could use in catching these thieves, while helping retain more police officers. |