CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 65-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2279

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2279, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Regulate the purchase of catalytic converters by used motor vehicle parts dealers and the purchase of palladium, platinum, and rhodium by scrap dealers and recyclers;

(2) Subject persons who violate related provisions to a class C felony;

(3) Establish the felony offense of theft of catalytic converter; and

(4) Require each county police department to maintain certain reported information and initiate education programs to prevent catalytic converter thefts.

Your Committee on Conference finds that catalytic converter thefts are on the rise across the State. Catalytic converters contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, the prices of which have also recently increased, making catalytic converters highly sought after by thieves due to their high resale value. The relative ease and speed in which a person can remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle, coupled with the value of the scrap and precious metal, has contributed to the increase in catalytic converter thefts. While catalytic converters can typically be resold on the market for less than a few hundred dollars, replacing a stolen catalytic converter can cost a car owner more than $1,000, or perhaps more depending on the extent of damages. This measure increases regulations regarding the sale of catalytic converters, and the precious metals within catalytic converters, to reduce the incentive for catalytic converter theft in the State and subjects persons who violate these provisions to a class C felony.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have exempted certain sellers from the requirement to provide a written statement certifying certain information concerning the catalytic converters being offered for sale;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2023; provided that sections 3 and 4 of this measure shall take effect upon its approval; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2279, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2279, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ AARON LING JOHANSON Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA Co-Chair	____________________________ KARL RHOADS Co-Chair