As Reported by the House Commerce, Labor and Technology Committee

129th General Assembly
Regular Session
2011-2012
Sub. S. B. No. 193


Senator Seitz 

Cosponsors: Senators Patton, Hughes, Bacon, Balderson, Beagle, Brown, Burke, Cafaro, Eklund, Hite, Jones, Kearney, LaRose, Lehner, Manning, Niehaus, Oelslager, Sawyer, Schiavoni, Tavares, Turner, Wagoner 



A BILL
To amend sections 4737.04, 4737.041, and 4737.99 and 1
to enact sections 4737.012 and 4737.045 of the 2
Revised Code to make changes to the law governing 3
scrap metal dealers and bulk merchandise dealers.4


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 4737.04, 4737.041, and 4737.99 be 5
amended and sections 4737.012 and 4737.045 of the Revised Code be 6
enacted to read as follows:7

       Sec. 4737.012.  (A) Notwithstanding division (A) of section 8
4737.01 of the Revised Code, a dealer who is in the business of 9
purchasing, reselling, exchanging, recycling, shredding, or 10
receiving bulk merchandise containers shall not purchase or 11
receive plastic bulk merchandise containers that are marked with a 12
company name or logo, or more than nine wooden bulk merchandise 13
containers, from any other person at one time, unless the dealer 14
maintains a record book or electronic file in which the dealer 15
keeps an accurate and complete record of all containers purchased 16
or received by the dealer. Every entry in the record book or 17
electronic file shall be numbered consecutively. Until the 18
registry developed by the director of public safety pursuant to 19
section 4737.045 of the Revised Code is operational, a dealer 20
shall maintain the record for each container purchased or received 21
for a minimum period of one year after the date the dealer 22
purchased or received the container. Beginning on the date the 23
registry is operational, a dealer shall maintain the record for 24
each container purchased or received only for a period of sixty 25
days after the date the dealer purchased or received the 26
container. The director shall adopt rules for the format and 27
maintenance of the records required under this division.28

       The records shall contain all of the following:29

       (1) The name and residence of the person from whom the 30
containers were purchased or received, a copy of that person's 31
personal identification card, and, if required, a photograph of 32
the person taken pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section;33

       (2) A description of the containers, including the number 34
purchased or received and, if required, a photograph of the 35
containers taken pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section;36

       (3) The date and time the dealer purchased or received the 37
containers;38

       (4) If the seller or provider of the containers arrives at 39
the dealer's place of business in a motor vehicle, the license 40
plate number of that motor vehicle along with the state that 41
issued the license plate.42

       (B) Every dealer who is in the business of reselling bulk 43
merchandise containers shall take a photograph, in accordance with 44
rules adopted by the director, of both of the following:45

       (1) Each container for which the dealer must make a record 46
under division (A) of this section;47

       (2) Each person who sells or otherwise gives the dealer the 48
containers.49

       The dealer shall take the required photographs at the time 50
the dealer purchases or receives the containers and shall keep the 51
photographs as part of the record in accordance with division (A) 52
of this section.53

       (C) A dealer who is in the business of purchasing, reselling, 54
exchanging, recycling, shredding, or receiving bulk merchandise 55
containers shall fulfill the requirements of section 4737.041 of 56
the Revised Code with respect to the containers purchased or 57
received by the dealer for which the dealer must make a record 58
under division (A) of this section. No dealer shall purchase or 59
receive any bulk merchandise container for which the dealer must 60
make a record under division (A) of this section without complying 61
with division (B), (C), or (D) of section 4737.041 of the Revised 62
Code.63

       (D) As used in this section, "bulk merchandise container" 64
means a plastic or wooden carrier or holder used by a manufacturer 65
or distributor to transport merchandise to wholesale and retail 66
outlets.67

       Sec. 4737.04. (A) As used in this section and sections 68
4737.041, 4737.042, and 4737.043, 4737.044, 4737.045, and 4737.9969
of the Revised Code:70

       (1) "Scrap metal dealer" means the owner or operator of a 71
business that purchases or receives scrap metal for the purpose of 72
sorting, grading, and shipping metals to third parties for direct 73
or indirect melting into new products.74

       (2) "Special purchase article" means all of the following:75

       (a) Beer kegs;76

       (b) Cable, wire, electrical components, and other equipment 77
used in providing cable service or any utility service, including, 78
but not limited to, copper or aluminum coverings, housings, or 79
enclosures related thereto;80

        (c) Grave markers, sculptures, plaques, and vases made out of 81
metal, the appearance of which suggestsuggests that the articles 82
have been obtained from a cemetery;83

       (d) Guard rails for bridges, highways, and roads; highway and 84
street signs; street light poles and fixtures; manholeworker 85
access hole covers, water meter covers, and other similar types of 86
utility access covers; traffic directional and control signs and 87
light signals, metal marked with the name of a political 88
subdivision of the state, and other metal articles that are 89
purchased and installed for use upon authorization of the state or 90
any political subdivision of the state;91

       (e) Historical, commemorative, and memorial markers and 92
plaques made out of metal;93

       (f) Four-wheel metal carts, commonly referred to as "grocery 94
carts," that are generally used by individuals to collect and 95
transport consumer goods while shopping;96

       (g) Four-wheel metal carts, commonly referred to as "metal 97
bossies," that are used to transport or merchandise food products 98
that are stored in crates, shells, or trays;99

       (h) Railroad material, including journal brasses, rail 100
spikes, rails, tie plates, frogs, and communication wire;101

       (i) Metal trays, merchandise containers, or similar transport 102
containers used by a product producer, distributor, retailer, or 103
an agent of a product producer, distributor, or retailer as a 104
means for the bulk transportation, storage, or carrying of retail 105
containers of milk, baked goods, eggs, or bottled beverage 106
products;107

       (j) "Burnt wire," which is any metal that has been smelted, 108
burned, or melted.109

       (3) "Bulk merchandise container" has the same meaning as in 110
section 4737.012 of the Revised Code.111

       (4) "Bulk merchandise container dealer" means a dealer who is 112
subject to section 4737.012 of the Revised Code.113

       (5) "Common recycled matter" means bottles and other 114
containers made out of steel, tin, or aluminum and other consumer 115
goods that are metal that are recycled by individual consumers and 116
not in the bulk or quantity that could be supplied or recycled by 117
large business establishments. "Common recycled matter" does not 118
include a metal tray used by a product producer, distributor, 119
retailer, or agent of a product producer, distributor, or retailer 120
as a means for the bulk transportation, storage, or carrying of 121
retail containers of milk, baked goods, eggs, or bottled beverage 122
products.123

       (4)(6) "Consumer goods" has the same meaning as in section 124
1309.102 of the Revised Code.125

       (5)(7) "Recyclable materials" means the metal materials 126
described in division (B)(C)(5) of this section, on the condition 127
that those metal materials are not special purchase articles.128

       (6)(8) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 129
4501.01 of the Revised Code.130

       (B)(1) No person shall engage in the business of scrap metal 131
dealing or act as a bulk merchandise container dealer without 132
first registering with the director of public safety in accordance 133
with section 4737.045 of the Revised Code.134

       (2) Notwithstanding section 2913.02 of the Revised Code, no 135
person, with purpose to deprive the owner of a special purchase 136
article or bulk merchandise container, shall knowingly obtain or 137
exert control over the special purchase article or bulk 138
merchandise container in any of the following ways:139

       (a) Without the consent of the owner or person authorized to 140
give consent;141

       (b) Beyond the scope of the express or implied consent of the 142
owner or person authorized to give consent;143

       (c) By deception;144

       (d) By threat;145

       (e) By intimidation.146

       (3) No person shall receive, purchase, or sell a special 147
purchase article or a bulk merchandise container except as in 148
accordance with sections 4737.012 and 4737.04 to 4737.045 of the 149
Revised Code.150

       (C) Every scrap metal dealer shall maintain a record book or 151
electronic file, in which the dealer shall keep an accurate and 152
complete record of all articles purchased or received by the 153
dealer in the course of the dealer's daily business. On and after 154
the effective date of this amendmentSeptember 11, 2008, every 155
entry in the record book or electronic file shall be numbered 156
consecutively and, on or after the effective date of this 157
amendment, shall be maintained for inspection in numerical order. 158
EveryUntil the registry developed by the director pursuant to 159
section 4737.045 of the Revised Code is operational, a dealer 160
shall maintain the record for each article purchased or received 161
for a minimum period of one year after the date the dealer 162
purchased or received the article, except that the dealer shall 163
maintain the photograph required under division (I) of this 164
section only for a period of sixty days after the dealer purchased 165
or received the article. SaidBeginning on the date the registry 166
is operational, a dealer shall maintain the record for each 167
article purchased or received only for a period of sixty days 168
after the date the dealer purchased or received the article. The 169
director shall adopt rules for the format and maintenance of the 170
records required under this division.171

       The records shall contain all of the following:172

       (1) NameThe name and residence of the person from whom said173
the articles were purchased or received and, a copy of that 174
person's personal identification card, and a photograph of the 175
person taken pursuant to division (I) of this section;176

       (2) The date and time the scrap metal dealer purchased or 177
received the articles and the weight of the articles as determined 178
by a licensed commercial scale;179

       (3) If the seller or provider of the articles arrives at the 180
dealer's place of business in a motor vehicle, the license plate 181
number of that motor vehicle along with the state that issued the 182
license plate;183

       (4) For metal articles that are not recyclable materials, a 184
full and accurate description of each article purchased or 185
received by the dealer that includes identifying letters or marks 186
written, inscribed, or otherwise included on the article and the 187
name and maker of the article if known;188

       (5) For recyclable materials that are not special purchase 189
articles, a scrap metal dealer shall use the following category 190
codes to identify the recyclable materials that the dealer 191
receives:192

       (a) "Number one copper," which includes clean copper pipe, 193
clean copper wire, or other number one copper that does not have 194
solder, paint, or coating;195

       (b) "Number two copper," which includes unclean copper pipe, 196
unclean copper wire, or other number two copper;197

       (c) "Sheet copper," which includes copper roofing, copper 198
gutters, copper downspouts, and other sheet copper;199

       (d) "Insulated copper wire";200

       (e) "Aluminum or copper radiators," which includes aluminum 201
radiators, aluminum copper radiators, and copper radiators;202

       (f) "Red brass," which includes red brass values and other 203
red brass;204

       (g) "Yellow brass," which includes yellow brass fixtures, 205
yellow brass valve and fitting, ornamental brass, and other yellow 206
brass;207

       (h) "Aluminum sheet";208

       (i) "Aluminum extrusions," which includes aluminum bleachers, 209
aluminum benches, aluminum frames, aluminum pipe, and other 210
aluminum extrusions;211

       (j) "Cast aluminum," which includes aluminum grills, 212
lawnmower decks made of aluminum, aluminum motor vehicle parts and 213
rims, and other cast aluminum;214

       (k) "Clean aluminum wire";215

       (l) "Unclean aluminum wire";216

       (m) "Aluminum exteriors," which includes aluminum siding, 217
aluminum gutters and downspouts, aluminum shutters, aluminum trim, 218
and other aluminum exterior items;219

       (n) "Contaminated aluminum";220

       (o) "Stainless steel," which includes, sinks, appliance 221
housing, dishes, pots, pans, pipe, and other items made out of 222
stainless steel;223

       (p) "Large appliances," which includes consumer and other 224
appliances;225

       (q) "Steel structural," which includes all structural steel 226
such as I-beams, trusses, channel iron, and similar steel from 227
buildings;228

       (r) "Miscellaneous steel," which includes steel grates, steel 229
farm machinery, steel industrial machinery, steel motor vehicle 230
frames, and other items made out of steel;231

       (r)(s) "Sheet irons," which includes bicycles, motor vehicle 232
body parts made of iron, and other items made using sheet iron;233

       (s)(t) "Motor vehicle nonbody parts," which includes motor 234
vehicle batteries, radiators, and other nonbody motor vehicle 235
parts;236

       (t)(u) "Catalytic converters";237

       (u)(v) "Lead";238

       (v)(w) "Electric motors."239

       (C) All journal brasses, and other railroad metals(6) For 240
recyclable materials that are special purchase articles, the 241
relevant category provided in division (A)(2) of this section.242

       (D) Railroad material, including journal brasses, rail 243
spikes, rails, tie plates, frogs, and communication wire, other 244
than purchases and sales under sections 4973.13 to 4973.16 of the 245
Revised Code, shall be held by thea scrap metal dealer for a 246
period of thirty days after being purchased or acquired.247

       (D)(E)(1) The records required under division (B)(C) of this 248
section or under section 4737.012 of the Revised Code shall be 249
open for inspection by the representative of any law enforcement 250
agency, railroad police officers, and the director of public 251
safety or the director's designated representative during all 252
business hours. A scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise container 253
dealer shall providedo both of the following:254

       (a) Provide a copy of those records to any law enforcement 255
agency or railroad police officer that requests the records or to 256
the director or director's representative, upon request;257

       (b) Prepare a daily electronic report, the content and format 258
of which shall be established in rules adopted by the director, 259
listing all retail transactions that occurred during the preceding 260
day and containing the information described in division (C) of 261
this section or division (A) of section 4737.012 of the Revised 262
Code, as applicable. The dealer shall electronically transfer, by 263
twelve noon eastern standard time, the report for inclusion in the 264
registry created pursuant to division (E) of section 4737.045 of 265
the Revised Code.266

       A law enforcement agency may inspect any photographic records 267
collected and maintained by a scrap metal dealer of either yard 268
operations or individual transactions. Records submitted to any 269
law enforcement agency pursuant to this section are not public 270
records for purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code. A271

       (2) A person who claims to own a stolen article that may be 272
identified in those records, or an agent of that person, who 273
provides proof of having filed a stolen property report with the 274
appropriate law enforcement agency, may request those records. The 275
law enforcement agency shall provide those records upon a request 276
made by such a person or that person's agent, but the law 277
enforcement agency shall redact information that reveals the name 278
of the seller of any article and the price the dealer paid for any 279
article the dealer purchased or the estimated value of any article 280
the dealer received. The law enforcement agency shall determine 281
which records to provide, based upon the time period that the 282
alleged theft is reported to have taken place. A law enforcement 283
agency may charge or collect a fee for providing records as 284
required by this section.285

       (E)(F)(1) No scrap metal dealer shall purchase or receive any 286
metal articles, and no bulk merchandise container dealer shall 287
purchase or receive any bulk merchandise containers, from a person 288
who refuses to show the dealer the person's personal 289
identification card, or who refuses to allow the dealer to take a 290
photograph of the person as required under division (I) of this 291
section or of the person or container as required under division 292
(B) of section 4737.012 of the Revised Code.293

       (2) The law enforcement agency that serves the jurisdiction 294
in which a scrap metal dealer or a bulk merchandise container 295
dealer is located shall provide to the scrap metal dealer or bulk 296
merchandise container dealer a searchable, electronic list 297
prepared in accordance with rules adopted by the director, as that 298
agency determines appropriate, of the names and descriptions of 299
persons known to be or who are suspected to be thieves or 300
receivers of stolen property. The law enforcement agency may 301
request the appropriate clerk of courts to provide the list. No 302
scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise container dealer shall 303
purchase or receive articles from any person identified on the 304
list the dealer receives from the law enforcement agency. The law 305
enforcement agency also shall provide the list to the department 306
of public safety, in an electronic format in accordance with rules 307
adopted by the director, for inclusion in the registry created in 308
section 4737.045 of the Revised Code.309

       (3) No scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise container 310
dealer shall purchase or receive any special purchase articles or 311
bulk merchandise containers from any person who is under eighteen 312
years of age.313

       (4) No scrap metal dealer shall purchase or receive any 314
special purchase article without complying with division (B)(C) or 315
(I) of this section and division (B), (C), or (D) of section 316
4737.041 of the Revised Code.317

       (5) No scrap metal dealer shall purchase or receive more than 318
one catalytic converter per day from the same person except from a 319
motor vehicle dealer as defined in section 4517.01 of the Revised 320
Code.321

       (6) No scrap metal dealer shall purchase or receive a beer 322
keg that is marked with a company name or logo except from a 323
manufacturer of beer as described in section 4303.02 of the 324
Revised Code or an agent authorized by the manufacturer to dispose 325
of damaged kegs.326

       (7) No scrap metal dealer shall treat a transaction as exempt 327
from section 4737.04 or 4737.041 of the Revised Code unless the 328
seller provides evidence of satisfying division (D)(3) of section 329
4737.043 of the Revised Code.330

       (F)(G) Every scrap metal dealer and bulk merchandise 331
container dealer shall post a notice in a conspicuous place on the 332
dealer's premises notifying persons who may wish to transact 333
business with the dealer of the penalties applicable to any person 334
who does any of the following:335

       (1) Provides a false personal identification card to the 336
dealer;337

       (2) With purpose to defraud, provides any other false 338
information to the dealer in connection with the dealer's duty to 339
maintain the records required under division (B)(C) of this 340
section or under section 4737.012 of the Revised Code;341

       (3) Violates section 2913.02 of the Revised Code or division 342
(B)(2) of this section.343

       (G)(H)(1) Except as otherwise provided in the second 344
paragraph of division (E)(F)(2) of this section, a clerk of courts 345
or an employee of a clerk of courts; a chief of police, marshal, 346
or other chief law enforcement officer,; a sheriff, constable, or 347
chief of police of a township police department or police district 348
police force, and; a deputy, officer, or employee of the law 349
enforcement agency served by the marshal or the municipal or 350
township chief, the office of the sheriff, or the constable; and 351
an employee of the department of public safety is immune from 352
liability in a civil action, including an action for defamation, 353
libel, or slander, to recover damages for injury, death, or loss 354
to persons or property or reputation allegedly caused by an act or 355
omission in connection with compiling and providing the list 356
required by division (E)(F)(2) of this section.357

        (2) The immunity described in division (G)(H)(1) of this 358
section does not apply to a person described in that division if, 359
in relation to the act or omission in question, any of the 360
following applies:361

        (a) The act or omission was manifestly outside the scope of 362
the person's employment or official responsibilities.363

        (b) The act or omission was with malicious purpose, in bad 364
faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner.365

        (c) Liability for the act or omission is expressly imposed by 366
a section of the Revised Code.367

       (I) Every scrap metal dealer shall take a photograph, in 368
accordance with rules adopted by the director, of each person who 369
sells or otherwise gives the dealer an article for which the 370
dealer must make record under division (C) of this section.371

       The dealer shall take the required photograph at the time the 372
dealer purchases or receives the article and shall keep the 373
photograph as part of the record in accordance with division (C) 374
of this section.375

       Sec. 4737.041. A scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise 376
container dealer shall do all of the following with respect to 377
each special purchase article the scrap metal dealer purchases or 378
receives or with respect to each bulk merchandise container a bulk 379
merchandise container dealer purchases or receives that is subject 380
to division (A) of section 4737.012 of the Revised Code:381

       (A) Comply with the requirements of this section in addition 382
to complying with the applicable requirements of section 4737.012 383
or 4737.04 of the Revised Code;384

       (B) Take a photograph of each special purchase article or 385
bulk merchandise container;386

       (C) Obtain from the seller or provider of the special 387
purchase article or bulk merchandise container proof that the 388
seller or provider owns the special purchase article or bulk 389
merchandise container;390

       (D) If payment is rendered for the special purchase articles 391
or bulk merchandise containers, issue a check for the purchase of 392
the special purchase articles or bulk merchandise containers;393

       (E) Withhold payment for the purchase of the special purchase 394
articles or bulk merchandise containers for a period of two days 395
after the day the special purchase articles or bulk merchandise 396
containers are purchased;397

       (F) If an asserted owner of stolen special purchase articles 398
or bulk merchandise containers or that owner's agent provides 399
proof of having filed a stolen property report with the 400
appropriate law enforcement agency, make records describing 401
special purchase articles or bulk merchandise containers the scrap 402
metal dealer purchased or received after the alleged date of theft 403
available for inspection to the asserted owner or owner's agent 404
for a period of six months after the alleged date of theft of the 405
articles, except that the scrap metal dealer shall withhold the 406
name of the person from whom the special purchase articles or bulk 407
merchandise containers were purchased or received and the amount 408
paid for the special purchase articles or bulk merchandise 409
containers.410

       Sec. 4737.045.  (A) To register as a scrap metal dealer or a 411
bulk merchandise container dealer with the director of public 412
safety as required by division (B) of section 4737.04 of the 413
Revised Code, a person shall do all of the following:414

       (1) Provide the name and street address of the dealer's place 415
of business;416

       (2) Provide the name of the primary owner of the business, 417
and of the manager of the business, if the manager is not the 418
primary owner;419

       (3) Provide the electronic mail address of the business;420

       (4) Provide confirmation that the dealer has the capabilities 421
to electronically connect with the department of public safety for 422
the purpose of sending and receiving information;423

       (5) Provide any other information required by the director in 424
rules the director adopts pursuant to sections 4737.01 to 4737.045 425
of the Revised Code;426

        (6) Pay an initial registration fee of two hundred dollars.427

       (B) A person engaging in the business of a scrap metal dealer 428
or a bulk merchandise container dealer in this state on or before 429
the effective date of this section shall register with the 430
director not later than January 1, 2013. With respect to a person 431
who commences engaging in the business of a scrap metal dealer or 432
a bulk merchandise container dealer after the effective date of 433
this section, the person shall register with the director pursuant 434
to this section prior to commencing business as a scrap metal 435
dealer or a bulk merchandise container dealer.436

       (C) A registration issued to a scrap metal dealer or a bulk 437
merchandise container dealer pursuant to this section is valid for 438
a period of one year. A dealer shall renew the registration in 439
accordance with the rules adopted by the director and pay a 440
renewal fee of one hundred fifty dollars to cover the costs of 441
operating and maintaining the registry created pursuant to 442
division (E) of this section.443

       (D) A scrap metal dealer or a bulk merchandise container 444
dealer registered under this section shall prominently display a 445
copy of the annual registration certificate received from the 446
director pursuant to division (E)(2) of this section.447

       (E) The director shall do all of the following:448

       (1) Develop and implement, by January 1, 2014, and maintain 449
as a registry a secure database for use by law enforcement 450
agencies that is capable of all of the following:451

       (a) Receiving and securely storing all of the information 452
required by division (A) of this section and the daily transaction 453
data that scrap metal dealers and bulk merchandise dealers are 454
required to send pursuant to division (E)(1) of section 4737.04 of 455
the Revised Code;456

       (b) Providing secure search capabilities to law enforcement 457
agencies for enforcement purposes;458

       (c) Creating a link and retransmission capability for receipt 459
of routine scrap theft alerts published by the institute of scrap 460
recycling industries for transmission to dealers and law 461
enforcement agencies in the state;462

       (d) Making the electronic lists prepared pursuant to division 463
(F)(2) of section 4737.04 of the Revised Code available through an 464
electronic searchable format for individual law enforcement 465
agencies and for dealers in the state;466

       (e) Providing, without charge, interlink programming enabling 467
the transfer of information to dealers.468

       (2) Issue, reissue, or deny registration to dealers;469

       (3) Adopt rules to enforce sections 4737.01 to 4737.045 of 470
the Revised Code, rules establishing procedures to renew a 471
registration issued under this section, rules for the format and 472
maintenance for the records required under division (A) of section 473
4737.012 of the Revised Code or division (C) of section 4737.04 of 474
the Revised Code, and rules regarding the delivery of the report 475
required by division (E)(1) of section 4737.04 of the Revised Code 476
to the registry, which shall be used exclusively by law 477
enforcement agencies.478

       (F) A scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise container dealer 479
may search, modify, or update only the dealer's own business data 480
contained within the registry established in division (E) of this 481
section.482

        (G) All fees received by the director pursuant to this 483
section and division (F) of section 4737.99 of the Revised Code 484
shall be used to develop and maintain the registry required under 485
this section. The fees shall be deposited into the security, 486
investigations, and policing fund created in section 4501.11 of 487
the Revised Code. 488

       Sec. 4737.99.  (A) Except as specified in divisions (B) and,489
(C), (D), (E), and (F) of this section, whoever violates sections 490
4737.01 to 4737.11 of the Revised Code, shall be fined not less 491
than twenty-five nor more than one thousand dollars and the costs 492
of prosecution.493

       (B) Whoever violates division (F)(2) of section 4737.10 of 494
the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.495

       (C) Whoever fails to comply with or violates section 4737.01, 496
4737.012, or 4737.041 or, division (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F), 497
(G), or (I) of section 4737.04, or division (D) of section 498
4737.045 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the 499
thirdfirst degree. If the offender one time previously has 500
violated or failed to comply with section 4737.01, 4737.012, or 501
4737.041 or, division (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F), (G), or (I) of 502
section 4737.04, or division (D) of section 4737.045 of the 503
Revised Code, the violation or failure is a misdemeanorfelony of 504
the secondfifth degree. If the offender two or more times 505
previously has violated or failed to comply with section 4737.01, 506
4737.012, or 4737.041 or, division (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F), 507
(G), or (I) of section 4737.04, or division (D) of section 508
4737.045 of the Revised Code, the violation or failure is a 509
misdemeanorfelony of the firstfourth degree. For any second or 510
subsequent violation of or failure to comply with section 4737.01, 511
4737.012, or 4737.041, or division (C), (D), (E), (F), (G), or (I) 512
of section 4737.04, or division (D) of section 4737.045 of the 513
Revised Code, a court may suspend the registration issued to the 514
scrap metal dealer or bulk merchandise container dealer under 515
section 4737.045 of the Revised Code for a period of ninety days, 516
during which time period the person shall not engage in the 517
business of a scrap metal dealer or a bulk merchandise container 518
dealer, as applicable.519

       (D) Whoever violates division (B)(1) of section 4737.04 of 520
the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree. The 521
court also shall enjoin the person from engaging in the business 522
of a scrap metal dealer or a bulk merchandise dealer.523

       (E) Notwithstanding section 2913.02 of the Revised Code, 524
whoever violates division (B)(2) or (3) of section 4737.04 of the 525
Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree for the 526
first offense and a felony of the third degree for any subsequent 527
offense.528

       (F) Any motor vehicle used in the theft or illegal 529
transportation of metal shall be impounded for at least thirty 530
days and not more than sixty days. If the same motor vehicle is 531
used in connection with a second or subsequent theft or illegal 532
transportation of metal, the motor vehicle shall be impounded for 533
at least sixty days and not more than one hundred eighty days. Any 534
motor vehicle used in the theft or illegal transportation of a 535
special purchase article or bulk merchandise container shall be 536
impounded for at least ninety days and not more than three hundred 537
sixty days. A motor vehicle impounded pursuant to this division 538
shall be stored at a municipal corporation impound lot, if 539
available, or at a lot owned by a private entity or another 540
governmental unit that the municipal corporation utilizes for the 541
purpose of impounding a motor vehicle. An impounded motor vehicle 542
may be recovered from the impound lot at the end of the impound 543
term upon payment of fees, fifty per cent of which shall be 544
remitted to the department of public safety to offset the costs of 545
operating the registry established pursuant to section 4737.045 of 546
the Revised Code.547

       Section 2. That existing sections 4737.04, 4737.041, and 548
4737.99 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.549

       Section 3.  Division (B)(1) of section 4737.04 of the Revised 550
Code, as amended by this act, shall take effect on January 1, 551
2013.552

       Section 4.  In order to cover the costs of the creation and 553
initial implementation of the database described in division (E) 554
of section 4737.045 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act, 555
the Director of Public Safety may accept funds from public donors 556
for that purpose. The Director shall deposit any funds received 557
pursuant to this section into the Security, Investigations, and 558
Policing Fund created in section 4501.11 of the Revised Code.559

       Section 5. During the first year of the 134th General 560
Assembly, the President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of 561
Representatives shall initiate creation of a joint select 562
committee of the Senate and House of Representatives for the 563
purpose of considering the effectiveness of this act in deterring 564
crime and the costs of complying with this act to industries 565
affected by this act. The President of the Senate and Speaker of 566
the House of Representatives shall create the joint select 567
committee in accordance with the Joint Rules of the Senate and 568
House of Representatives for the 134th General Assembly for 569
creation of a joint select committee.570

       The joint select committee shall hold public hearings at 571
which time representatives of the Ohio Municipal League, the Ohio 572
Prosecuting Attorneys Association, and the Ohio Sheriff's 573
Association; representatives of the scrap metal recycling 574
industry; and other interested parties may present testimony on 575
the affect of this act on metals theft rates, theft deterrence, 576
criminal enforcement and prosecution, and economic and 577
administrative burdens on industry. The joint select committee 578
shall provide advance notice of its hearings to, and shall solicit 579
comments in advance of those hearings from, the Ohio Municipal 580
League, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Ohio Sheriff's 581
Association, representatives of the scrap metal recycling 582
industry, and other interested parties that the joint select 583
committee determines should receive notice.584

       The joint select committee shall issue a report summarizing 585
the effectiveness and impacts of this act and submit the report to 586
the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of 587
Representatives. The Legislative Service Commission shall assist 588
the joint select committee in preparing and finalizing the report 589
required by this section.590

       Section 6.  There is hereby created the Scrap Metal and Bulk 591
Merchandise Container Registry Advisory Council. The Director of 592
Public Safety shall appoint the members of the Council, who shall 593
represent the scrap metal recycling industry, businesses that 594
provide software to the scrap metal recycling industry, law 595
enforcement, and other interests as the Director determines 596
necessary. The Council shall provide guidance and assistance to 597
the Director in the development and implementation of the registry 598
required under section 4737.045 of the Revised Code, as enacted by 599
this act. The Department of Public Safety shall provide assistance 600
to the Council as the Director determines necessary. Members shall 601
serve without compensation or reimbursement. The Council shall be 602
abolished January 1, 2014.603