HB 1120

AN ACT relating to the purchase or acquisition by metal recycling entities

House Bill Lopez, Janie
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

← Back to Bills

Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

This Texas bill strengthens regulations for metal recycling entities purchasing catalytic converters by requiring sellers to provide specific vehicle identification details and mandating recyclers verify those details against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's VIN database. Metal recycling entities must now confirm the catalytic converter matches the vehicle's manufacturer specifications before purchasing, and they must maintain detailed records including the vehicle year, make, model, vehicle identification number, seller's business name, and transaction date. Failure to comply can result in administrative penalties, aiming to reduce catalytic converter theft by making resale more difficult.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to the purchase or acquisition by metal recycling entities
of catalytic converters removed from a motor vehicle; imposing an
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 1956.0321(c), Occupations Code, is
(c)  A metal recycling entity may not purchase a catalytic
(1)  determines that the catalytic converter is
consistent with the manufacturer's specifications for a catalytic
converter from the vehicle for which the seller provided
information under Subsection (a)(1); and
(2)  enters the vehicle identification number provided
by the seller under Subsection (a)(1) into the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration's VIN Decoder, or successor
database, and verifies that the vehicle year, make, and model
retrieved from the database with respect to that vehicle
identification number are the same as the vehicle year, make, and
SECTION 2.  Subchapter C-1, Chapter 1956, Occupations Code,
is amended by adding Section 1956.1235 to read as follows:
Sec. 1956.1235.  SELLER'S DUTY TO PROVIDE CERTAIN
INFORMATION; PURCHASER'S DUTY TO VERIFY.  (a)  In a transaction to
which this subchapter applies, the seller shall provide to the
metal recycling entity the year, make, model, and vehicle
identification number for the vehicle from which the catalytic
(b)  The metal recycling entity may not purchase or otherwise
acquire the catalytic converter unless the entity enters the
vehicle identification number provided by the seller under
Subsection (a) into the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration's VIN Decoder, or successor database, and verifies
that the vehicle year, make, and model retrieved from the database
with respect to that vehicle identification number are the same as
the vehicle year, make, and model provided by the seller.
SECTION 3.  Section 1956.124(b), Occupations Code, is
(b)  A record meets the requirements of Subsection (a) if it
(1)  the year, make, model, and vehicle identification
number for the vehicle from which each purchased or otherwise
acquired catalytic converter was removed [a description made in
accordance with the custom of the trade for the volume of catalytic
converters purchased or otherwise acquired];
(2)  the business name of the person from whom each
[the]  catalytic converter was [converters were] purchased or
(3)  the date of the transaction.
SECTION 4.  Section 1956.128(a), Occupations Code, is
(a)  The commission may impose an administrative penalty
under Subchapter R, Chapter 411, Government Code, on a metal
(1)  violates Section 1956.123 due to the entity's
failure to exercise due diligence in purchasing or acquiring a
catalytic converter removed from a motor vehicle; [or]
(2)  violates Section 1956.1235; or
(3)  violates Section 1956.124.
SECTION 5.  Section 1956.124, Occupations Code, as amended
by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after the
effective date of this Act.  An offense committed before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.  For purposes of this section, an offense
was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element
of the offense occurred before that date.
SECTION 6.  Section 1956.128, Occupations Code, as amended
by this Act, applies only to conduct that occurs on or after the
effective date of this Act.  Conduct that occurs before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
date the conduct occurred, and the former law is continued in effect
SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill Sponsors

Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the purchase or acquisition by metal recycling entities