Metal theft bill goes to governor

NASHVILLE — Police and prosecutors would get new tools to fight rising thefts of copper and other valuable metals under a bill the House sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen on Monday night.

“As most of you know we’ve had a copper-theft epidemic here in Tennessee,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Mike McDonald, D-Portland. “It’s a serious problem.”

Rep. McDonald said he believes the law will be one of the toughest in the country. But some House Republicans voiced doubts and questioned why provisions subjecting thieves to forfeiture of their vehicles was removed.

The House approved the bill on a 91-0 vote.

The bill would require dealers who buy and sell scrap metal to register with the state Department of Commerce and Insurance by Oct. 1. Scrap metal dealers would face criminal penalties if they do not register and could be charged if found buying stolen metal.

People selling to dealers would have to present a valid photo state or federal identification and provide a thumbprint. Dealers would be required to keep transaction records for three years.

If the metal being purchased includes copper or a catalytic converter, payment may only be made by check.

In other action Monday:

n The House voted 77-13 for a bill that would remove limits on how many toll roads and bridges can be built in the state.

House Transportation Committee Chairman Phillip Pinion, D-Union City, said the bill was spurred by continued cuts in federal road funding. He noted there will be no new road projects next year.

Last week, state transportation officials announced the federal government is cutting another $66 million, bringing the total cut since 2005 to about $274 million, Rep. Pinion said.

“Something’s not right when we’re building bridges and roads in Iraq and I can’t replace the bridges that need to be replaced in the state of Tennessee,” Rep. Pinion said.

The state is restricted to a single toll road and one toll bridge under legislation passed last year. But the bill would remove the limits and let the Tennessee Department of Transportation approve any project pushed by locals deemed to be feasible and to help with development.

Rep. Pinion cited as an example local efforts to get a new Tennessee River bridge in the north end of Hamilton County near Soddy-Daisy.

He said motorists paying $2.50 “save 30 miles and actually save money, and it would open up that area for development.”

The legislation remains in the Senate where Transportation Chairman Jim Tracy, R-Shelbyville, said he does not expect the House version to advance out of his committee on Wednesday without changes, The Associated Press reported.

n The House sent to the governor legislation that would require state and local governments to create safeguards and procedures to ensure that confidential information regarding citizens is protected on laptop computers and other removable storage devices.

The bill, which was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland, would permit governmental entities to be sued for damages if someone was able to prove they had been a victim of identity theft due to the failure to provide adequate safeguards.

n Members of a Senate Education subcommittee voted to recommend to the full Education Committee spending $100 million in education lottery reserves for kindergarten-through-12th-grade construction projects.

Sen. Tracy, the subcommittee chairman, said local school systems could use the money, which would have to be matched. Fellow proponent, Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, argued that it could forestall local property tax increases.

“I think it’s bad policy to do bricks and mortar (construction) with this money,” said Sen. Joe Haynes, D-Nashville.

He said that once the money is spent, it would be gone and unavailable for college scholarships.

Under Sen. Tracy’s proposal, money would be distributed on a per-student basis. Hamilton County Schools would get a projected $4.2 million in one-time money.

“We suffer from the problem of too many good ideas and not enough money,” said Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, who serves on the full Education Committee. “In an ideal world we could do all these things. But we get the best return, dollar for dollar, by using these moneys to send people to school.”

n Sen. Ophelia Ford, D-Memphis, returned to the General Assembly for the first time this year on Monday night, telling senators that a bleeding ulcer was the cause behind a mysterious illness that had sidelined her for the session.

“It’s just so wonderful for me to be here,” the 57-year-old lawmaker said. “I missed you a lot, and I’m looking forward to getting back to work.”