The Colorado Senate and House combined to pass three bills Wednesday that aim to address the unprecedented rise in thefts of catalytic converters across the state.

In Colorado, thefts of these exhaust emission control devices 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, the thefts rose by 15,000% in the same timeframe – from 15 to 2,359, according to data from the Denver Police Department.

“Catalytic converter thefts are happening nearly every day in our communities,” said Rep. Adrianne Benavidez, D-Commerce City, who is sponsoring two of the anti-theft bills. “By preventing catalytic converter thefts, we’ll make our communities safer and save Coloradans money and time spent replacing these expensive parts.”

Without a catalytic converter, vehicles become legally and sometimes functionally inoperable. Because of the massive rise in thefts nationwide, it is difficult to replace catalytic converters, leading to weeks- or months-long wait periods for parts that can cost between $1,000 and $5,000.

On Wednesday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 179, which would allow civil penalties for offenses related to catalytic converter thefts, including fines ranging from $200 to $15,000, depending on the number of violations. Senators voted 30-4 in support of the bill, sending it to the House for consideration.

Under the bill, civil penalties would apply to any tampering of a vehicle’s emission control system, including using or selling a vehicle with a tampered emission control system and using or selling parts that bypass the emission control system. These regulations would go into effect in 2024.

“We know that many of the individuals engaged in car theft and other auto-related crimes are repeat offenders,” said bill sponsor Sen. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs. “This bill would make it easier to impose civil penalties on people who have been repeatedly found guilty of tampering with emissions systems.”

All fees resulting from SB-179 would fund a grant program created under the proposed House Bill 1217 – a bill to create an annual $300,000 grant program to raise awareness of catalytic converter theft through public information campaigns, theft prevention, victim assistance and catalytic converter identification and tracking efforts.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed HB-1217 in a 6-1 vote Wednesday morning. The full Senate is scheduled to hold its final vote on the bill on Thursday.

Also on Wednesday, the state House gave final approval to Senate Bill 9, which would require auto part recyclers to consult with a national database to determine whether a catalytic converter has been stolen. The bill would allow more law enforcement resources and agencies to investigate the thefts, including the Commodity Metals Theft Task Force. 

SB-9 passed the House in a 53-9 vote and will now be sent to Gov. Jared Polis for consideration.

Though all three bills enjoy bipartisan support and sponsorship, only Republicans voted against them on the floor. Opponents to the bills have criticized that they wouldn’t address supply issues that result in long wait times and expensive replacement parts. However, supporters said action needs to be taken on all fronts to address the thefts. 

“This is not a small issue, this is a chronic problem in our state,” said Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County. “My family has been affected by this. It was about nine weeks and a $5,000 insurance claim, with some of that being out of pocket. … This is a step in the right direction.”