Legislation that intends to address the unprecedented rise in thefts of catalytic converters cleared the Colorado Senate on Wednesday, moving on to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

If enacted, Senate Bill 9 would require auto part recyclers to consult with the national motor vehicle title information system to determine whether a catalytic converter has been stolen and would allow additional law enforcement resources and agencies to investigate the thefts, including the Commodity Metals Theft Task Force.

“In 2019, it was a concern. In 2022, it is a crisis,” said bill sponsor Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins. “As it increases, so does the harm to businesses as well as to ordinary citizens that are the victims. These cars become inoperable or noncompliant with emissions laws, meaning people can’t go to work, can’t go to school or do simple errands.”

Catalytic converters are exhaust emission control devices that contain precious metals trading at record prices. Catalytic converter thefts increased by more than 5,000% in Colorado from 2019 to 2021, going from 189 to 9,811 reported thefts annually, according to the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. In Denver, the thefts rose by 15,000% in the same timeframe – from 15 to 2,359, according to data from the Denver Police Department.

State senators passed the bipartisan bill Wednesday in a 33-1 vote, with only Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg voting “no.” The Sterling Republican said the bill would only increase unnecessary personal data collection.

“It won’t reduce the thefts of catalytic converters,” Sonnenberg said. “The bigger problem that needs to be dealt with is more cars are stolen in Colorado than anywhere else in the country. I opposed previous legislation that forced the taking of personal information and pictures of me doing regular business.”

In 2021, an Uswitch report found that Colorado had the most vehicle thefts per 100,000 vehicle owners at 524.3. However, Ginal said the bill would take away the incentives to steal catalytic converters by cutting off the ability to resell them.

As a result of the national rise in thefts and supply chain issues, it is very difficult to replace catalytic converters, leading to weeks- or months-long wait periods for parts that can cost between $1,000 and $5,000. Sen. Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County, said his son has been waiting seven weeks to replace the catalytic converters stolen out of his pickup truck in January.

“If you had asked me in early January of this year if I thought that having catalytic converters stolen was a significant life event, I would have said no. … I was wrong,” Holbert said. “He’s still making payments on his truck but for seven weeks it’s been sitting in a collision shop in Parker.”

Holbert said the bill is a “step in the right direction,” even if it does not address all aspects of the issue.

A second bill regarding catalytic converter theft, House Bill 1217, would create a grant program to raise awareness of the thefts by funding public information campaigns, theft prevention, victim assistance and catalytic converter identification and tracking efforts. Holbert said he also intends to sponsor his own bill that would increase penalties for catalytic converter theft.