BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
SB 485 (Calderon) - Weighmasters: Junk Dealers and Recyclers
Amended: May 14, 2013 Policy Vote: BP&ED 10-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: May 23, 2013 Consultant: Robert Ingenito
SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED.
Bill Summary: SB 485 would require a junk dealer or recycler
upon application for or renewal of a weighmasters' license to
submit additional specified information regarding its junk
dealer or recycler business to the California Department of Food
and Agriculture (CDFA). Additionally, the bill would require
county sealers to make a thorough investigation of the
information submitted on that application within 90 days, and
would require CDFA to revoke a junk dealer or recycler's
weighmasters' license if the information submitted in the
application is materially inaccurate.
The bill would require a junk dealer or recycler applying for a
weighmaster license to pay a $500 fee per license year to CDFA
for the administration and enforcement of these provisions.
Fiscal Impact: Costs to CDFA would be funded with a newly
established fee on junk dealers and recyclers.
Background: Metal prices have risen sharply on the world
markets over recent years. For instance, a commonly-cited index
of metal prices has risen about 42 percent since 2005.
Consequently, thefts of metals such as copper, bronze, brass,
and aluminum have risen sharply in recent years, for the
purposes of sales to metal recyclers. Examples of metal-theft
include the stripping of copper wires and aluminum pipes from
agricultural equipment, copper wire stripped from utility power
lines, the removal of wire and pipe from construction sites.
The damage caused by these thefts is often several times the
value of the metal stolen, leaving the victims with hefty repair
costs. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that metal
theft costs U.S. businesses around $1 billion a year.
SB 485 (Calderon)
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Proposed Law: This bill would, among other things, do the
following:
Require CDFA to require a recycler or junk dealer, as
defined, who applies for a weighmaster's license or to
renew a weighmaster;s license to furnish specified
additional information on the application.
Require CDFA to issue a license to a junk dealer or
recycler to an applicant who submits the appropriate
information and fee.
Require CDFA to make a thorough investigation of all of
the information contained in the application within 90
days.
Require CDFA to revoke a junk dealer or recycler's
weighmaster's license if the information submitted in the
application is materially inaccurate, unless the junk
dealer or recycler complies with these information
requirements within 14 days.
Provides that a junk dealer or recycler whose license
has been revoked is entitled to a hearing before an
administrative law judge, as specified.
Author's Amendments would (1) increase the fee from $250 to
$500, and (2) require county sealers (instead of CDFA) to
investigate information contained in applications for new or
renewed licenses.