Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ
District 19 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes “Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Pilot Program” in DLPS; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Pilot Program in the Department of Law and Public Safety and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Department of Law and Public Safety a two-year “Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Pilot Program,” the purpose of which is to deter auto theft and aid in the recovery of stolen catalytic converters.
b. The Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with and subject to the approval of the Attorney General, shall develop a pilot program to mark select catalytic converters with permanent unique identifiers. The superintendent may consult with other law enforcement agencies, insurance companies, scrap metal business operators, and other entities as needed, to identify vehicles most likely to be targeted for theft of catalytic converters, to prioritize areas of the State most targeted for vehicle theft, and to establish which method or methods of marking to employ.
c. The superintendent shall create and institute a process to disperse materials purchased for marking vehicles with identifiers pursuant to subsection b. of this section. The process shall include distribution of materials to dealers, mechanics, and vehicle owners, allowing for application by the owner, or by contract with a mechanic at no cost to the vehicle owner. The superintendent shall maintain a registry of employed identifiers and other relevant information gathered for reference in tracing stolen property, or may contract with a company to do so.
2. The Attorney General shall submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a report containing an evaluation of the pilot program not more than 30 days following the expiration of the pilot program. The report shall include the number of vehicles in the program, the marking system adopted, the number of catalytic converters recovered, the number of catalytic converters traced back to an original vehicle, and a recommendation on whether law enforcement should continue these efforts beyond the pilot period.
3. There is appropriated the sum of $500,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the filing of the report pursuant to section 2 of this P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a two-year “Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention Pilot Program” in the Department of Law and Public Safety to deter theft and aid in the recovery of stolen property. The bill requires the Superintendent of State Police to identify vehicle models most likely to be targeted for theft of catalytic converters and to prioritize areas of the State most targeted for vehicle theft for participation in the program. Under the bill, certain auto dealers, mechanics, and vehicle owners will be provided with a method to mark a catalytic converter with a unique identifier. The bill requires the superintendent to maintain a registry of program participation to aid in the process of tracing and recovery of stolen property. An appropriation of $500,000 is made to the Department of Law and Public Safety to carry out the provisions of the bill.
Upon expiration of the pilot program, this bill requires the Attorney General to issue a report to the Governor and Legislature of findings and recommendations.