Gavin Newsom, governor of California, during The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, US, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. In its thirteenth year, the Festival features more than 300 speakers from the worlds of politics, public policy, technology and media. Photographer: Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Another one! Roommates, if you live in California, you know that catalytic converters are a hot commodity in the streets, and thefts for the part have increased terribly. However, Governor Gavin Newsom is on it and has created not one but TWO bills to tackle the issue, according to KTLA. SB 1087, authored by California State Senator Lena Gonzalez, and AB 1740, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, require recyclers to keep detailed records and only allow for used catalytic converters to be sold by authorized parties.
Governor Newsom stated that studies have shown catalytic converter theft has increased by ten times since 2018, and it’s not unique to the Golden State. Statistics show thefts of catalytic converters jumped by more than 325% between 2019 and 2020.
In the announcement, Governor Newsom said,
“California is doing what we do best, and that’s trying to be on the forefront of trying to solve this.” He explained that brokers and middlemen who purchase and sell stolen parts are one of the root causes of catalytic converter theft. “You take away the market for stolen goods; you can help cut down on stealing,” he added.
Catalytic converters can have high value for thieves due to the valuable metals in the converters. Reports state one metal, rhodium, is valued at $14,000 per ounce. There are steps that victims can take if their Catalytic converter ever gets stolen. According to California’s Bureau of Automotive Repair, you can protect your vehicle from catalytic converter theft by installing a theft prevention device on your catalytic converter, marking your catalytic converter, adjusting your vehicle’s alarm, and parking your car in a safe location.
Victims can also check with their vehicle insurance provider to determine if their policy covers stolen auto parts. Roommates, what do you think about the news bills? Drop a comment and let us know!
