House Committee Votes Down Stricter Scrap Metal Bill
By: Dustin Barnes
Updated: March 6, 2013
The House Conference room is at full capacity Tuesday afternoon, jam-packed with business owners and folks who've suffered from scrap metal thefts.
"The only people who came to argue against this bill are those who have a vested interest in profitability of the bill failing," State Representative Kim Hammer (R, D-28) said.
Representative Hammer said too many people are losing out because of the thefts. That's why he proposed a bill that would require metal sellers to get a license before they sell to dealers. Some local farmers believe that would cut down on the thousands they lose by replacing stolen copper.
"It's always laws in place but until they make it almost hard to sell to these dealers it's not going to stop, Robby Bevis, a Lonoke County farmer, said.
But Hammer's House colleagues feel the current law that requires a picture ID and a thumbprint would work if police and sheriff's departments would actually enforce it.
"Scrapping is legal. I don't want to run legitimate businesses out of business and over regulate or over tax those when they're complying," State Representative Darrin Williams (D, D-36) said.
Representative Williams said lawmakers need to give departments more resources to track down thieves and the dealers who accept the metal illegally. The vote failed.
"This is just one process to get where I want to get by the end of the session," Hammer said.
After some tweaking, Hammer believes he can get his scrap metal bill out of committee and eventually to the governor's desk.
"The only people who came to argue against this bill are those who have a vested interest in profitability of the bill failing," State Representative Kim Hammer (R, D-28) said.
Representative Hammer said too many people are losing out because of the thefts. That's why he proposed a bill that would require metal sellers to get a license before they sell to dealers. Some local farmers believe that would cut down on the thousands they lose by replacing stolen copper.
"It's always laws in place but until they make it almost hard to sell to these dealers it's not going to stop, Robby Bevis, a Lonoke County farmer, said.
But Hammer's House colleagues feel the current law that requires a picture ID and a thumbprint would work if police and sheriff's departments would actually enforce it.
"Scrapping is legal. I don't want to run legitimate businesses out of business and over regulate or over tax those when they're complying," State Representative Darrin Williams (D, D-36) said.
Representative Williams said lawmakers need to give departments more resources to track down thieves and the dealers who accept the metal illegally. The vote failed.
"This is just one process to get where I want to get by the end of the session," Hammer said.
After some tweaking, Hammer believes he can get his scrap metal bill out of committee and eventually to the governor's desk.
