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U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Combat Catalytic Converter Theft Nationwide U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, and Ron Wyden, D-OR, introduced legislation to combat the rise in catalytic converter theft. The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act would ensure law enforcement can more effectively address these thefts by marking each converter with a traceable identification number and establishing converter theft as a criminal offense.
locate stolen car parts, we will be one step closer in the fight to end catalytic converter theft.” Catalytic converters are used to reduce the potency of toxic emissions from an internal combustion engine and required for vehicle compliance with the Clean Air Act. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts rose by more than 325% from 2019 to 2020. Replacing these parts imposes significant financial costs to vehicle owners, often between $500 to $2,300, and can even result in a total loss to the vehicle. The PART Act would:
“Throughout the country, we’ve seen an alarming increase in catalytic converter theft. These converters can be easily taken from unattended cars but are difficult and expensive for car owners to replace,” said Klobuchar. “By making catalytic converter theft a criminal offense and ensuring each converter can be easily tracked, our legislation would provide law enforcement officers with the tools and resources they need to crack down on these crimes.” “The theft of catalytic converters hurts the pocketbooks of working families and small business owners already struggling with rising costs,” said Wyden. “By strengthening local law enforcement’s ability to
Require new vehicles to have a Vehicle Identification number (VIN) stamped onto the converter to allow law enforcement officers to link stolen parts to the vehicle from which they originate Create a grant program through which entities can stamp VIN numbers onto catalytic converters of existing vehicles Improve record keeping standards for purchasers of used catalytic converters Establish enforceability of laws around catalytic converter theft by codifying these crimes as a criminal offense
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Vol. 13 / Issue 11/ January 2023 REGIONAL NEWS
Hyundai Motor Group and SK On To Build EV Battery Facility in Georgia Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) and SK On have selected a site in Bartow County in Georgia for a new electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility that will supply Hyundai Motor Group’s plants in the U.S. Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp on Dec. 8 announced the deal, one of the largest economic development projects in state history. Stakeholders estimate it will create more than 3,500 new jobs through approximately $4 billion to $5 billion of investment in Bartow County. Hyundai Motor Group and SK On recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the partnership for a new EV battery facility in the U.S., with the
details of the partnership still in development. “Hyundai Motor Group and SK On are valued partners and key players in our state’s ever-growing automotive industry,” said Kemp. “Since day one, my administration has been focused on bringing jobs and opportunity to communities across the state that may have been overlooked in the past. SK and HMG share this goal, and we’re proud they are choosing to invest even further in this No. 1 state for business.” Established in 2021, SK On is the lithium-ion battery subsidiary branch of SK Innovation and currently employs more than 2,000 l CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
REGIONAL NEWS
April 2023 Southeast Collision Conference, Collision P.R.E.P. Open For Presentation The Southeast Collision Conference, hosted by the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) and the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA), is featuring WMABA’s Collision P.R.E.P. education at the
The bill has received the endorsement of the National Automobile Dealers Association, the American Truck l CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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event, serving the East Coast collision repair industry April 14-15, 2023, at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, VA. The event is now announcing the open window for speakers to submit their presentations for consideration in the educational line-up. In its former iterations, the Collision P.R.E.P—short for Professional Repairer Education Program—blew all expectations out of the water by having a full slate of nationally recognized speakers, which led to the
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 14
Columnist Mike Anderson: Are You Itemizing Vehicle Prep Steps Necessary Prior to ADAS Calibrations?
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Columnist Abby Andrews: Future Technology Presents Liability Concerns for Collision Repairers
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Columnist Stacey Phillips: OEConnection’s RepairLogic Platform Helps Shops Find Accurate OEM Information
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Columnist John Yoswick: How to Get Entry-Level Collision Repair Techs Productive Quickly
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