Senate committee advances bill to license recyclers to curb copper theft
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Summary
The Senate Transportation Committee reported Senate Bill 291 favorably after sponsors said it would expand a critical-infrastructure framework, require recyclers to be licensed by the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission, and link transactions to a LEADS-connected database to help law enforcement track stolen metal.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted to report Senate Bill 291 favorably after sponsors and industry partners said the measure would strengthen efforts to curb theft of telecommunications and other infrastructure materials.
Senator Brandon Storm, sponsor of SB 291, told the committee the bill expands last session’s work on critical infrastructure and would create “a licensing and oversight system” that requires recyclers to obtain licenses through the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission and use a LEADS-linked online database to connect law-enforcement agencies statewide. He said the measure builds on Louisville’s critical-infrastructure task force and responds to a growing incidence of thefts, singling out Pikeville as a county with particularly high rates of cable theft.
Rebecca Hartsoe, identified as a cofounder for River Metals Recycling and a representative of recycling operators, said the bill will impose “significant changes” and operational costs for recyclers but that the industry is committed to partnering on solutions. Tyler Campbell, director of state government affairs for Charter Communications, said the disruption of services from theft is a public-safety issue, recounting a recent case in which a thief sold roughly “1,500 feet of copper cable” and disrupted Internet service in local communities. “When these things are stolen, services can go down,” he said.
A committee member moved the bill; another member seconded. The secretary called the roll and the committee recorded votes in favor. The chair announced, “We have 8 ayes,” and reported the bill favorably with the committee substitute and the expression of opinion that it should pass.
The committee’s action sends SB 291 to the full Senate for further consideration. The sponsor and supporters said enforcement oversight by a licensing authority and mandatory use of a statewide database are intended to close gaps that, in their view, allow stolen materials to be trafficked and critical services to be disrupted.
