The state House of Representatives approved a bill Friday that seeks to address rising thefts of catalytic converters, sending it to the state Senate for consideration.

If enacted, House Bill 1217 would create a grant program to raise awareness of catalytic converter theft by funding public information campaigns, theft prevention, victim assistance and catalytic converter identification and tracking efforts. The bill would allocate roughly $300,000 per year through 2025 for 30 grants of $10,000.

“We talk about safety and we talk about crime and this is one way that we can make a difference,” said bill sponsor Rep. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Denver, adding that catalytic converter thefts can be “devastating” for victims, resulting in thousands of dollars in replacement costs and vehicles being out of commission for months.

Catalytic converters are exhaust emission control devices that contain precious metals that are trading at record prices. Without a catalytic converter, vehicles become legally, and in some cases functionally, inoperable.

Catalytic converter thefts in Colorado increased by more than 5,000% from 2019 to 2021, going from 189 to 9,811 reported thefts annually, according to the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. In Denver, catalytic converter thefts rose by 15,000% in the same timeframe – from 15 to 2,359 – according to data from the Denver Police Department.

The House passed the bipartisan bill in a 51-11 vote Friday, with only Republicans in opposition. Some opponents said the bill doesn’t go far enough to address catalytic converter thefts while other said it would not address current supply chain issues.

“It needs more teeth and it needs to help really solve the problem,” said Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, who voted against the bill. “When we’re soft on crime criminals exploit that. … The criminals aren’t going to stop. They’re not going to stop doing what they’re doing until they have a motivation to stop. The economic motivation far outweighs the punishment.”

HB-1217 is the second bill this legislative session aiming to tackle catalytic converter thefts. Senate Bill 9 – passed by the Senate earlier this month – would require auto part recyclers to use a national registry to determine whether a catalytic converter has been stolen. The House is expected to consider SB-9 in the next few weeks. 

Sen. Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County, has also said he intends to sponsor another bill that would increase penalties for catalytic converter theft.

HB-1217’s other sponsor Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, R-Watkins, defended the bill Friday, saying it is a step in the right direction.

“When law enforcement starts busting some of these folks, there’s a deterrent,” Bockenfeld said. “It’s not going to solve everything, but it is going to be a tool in the toolbox. … We need to give our law enforcement officers and the state patrol the tools to try to get this issue under control.”