Thursday, March 20, 2014
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Rick Snyder offered the following statement about the passage of a bill addressing the theft and illegal sale of metals.
“Metal theft is a problem that affects the safety of our communities, and the bill approved in the Legislature today creates more tools for law enforcement to fight these destructive crimes.
“We cannot allow thieves to continue to damage our homes, farms, utilities and public property. But more importantly, by damaging safety items such as street lights and traffic signals, these criminals are putting our residents at risk and hurting our quality of life. That’s unacceptable.
“We’ve been working with partners in the Legislature from both sides of the aisle on this important issue for two years. The bill approved today includes common sense reforms that provide tools to help police crack down on the thefts, and also make it more difficult for people to quickly and easily sell stolen metals – especially copper wiring and pipes, catalytic converters and air conditioners.”
HB 4593 is linked part of a package of bills addressing the issue, with companion legislation signed into law in December.
Gov. Snyder first called for the legislation in his special message on public safety in March 2012. That comprehensive plan focused on four cities hardest-hit by crime, but also included measures aimed at protecting Michiganders across the state. He most recently renewed this call to action in this year's State of the State Address in January.
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