Relating to criminal conduct involving the theft, damage, or destruction of copper or brass or involving the unauthorized possession of certain copper or brass material, to transactions of metal recycling entities involving certain copper or brass material, to training on identifying certain copper or brass material, and to studying the effect of certain regulations on incidents of theft of copper or brass material; creating criminal offenses; increasing criminal penalties; providing an administrative penalty.

Contracts

• Employment Agreements: Update handbooks for field staff (utilities, trades, construction). You must explicitly authorize them to possess scrap metal in company vehicles. Prohibit personal salvage to avoid conspiracy liability.
• Subcontractor Agreements: General Contractors must amend agreements to clearly define ownership of scrap materials generated during demolition or installation. If a sub is transporting scrap, they require a contract copy or bill of lading to avoid arrest for "Unauthorized Possession."
• Logistics/Bills of Lading: Transport contracts must specifically identify the copper/brass cargo and the owner. Generic "hauling" invoices are insufficient to prevent cargo seizure.

Hiring/Training

• MRE Intake Staff: Train gate personnel to reject individual sellers of commercial copper/brass unless they provide proof of "apparent authority" to sell on behalf of a business entity.
• Field Staff Credentialing: Issue "Certificates of Authority" or updated ID badges to all drivers and technicians who transport copper/brass, stating they are authorized agents of the company.
• Burnt Wire Protocol: Train staff to reject *all* burnt insulated wire unless accompanied by a formal Fire Marshal’s report or insurance claim documentation, pending DPS rulemaking.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• MRE Transaction Records: Update intake software to mandate a "Seller Business Name" field. You can no longer record transactions solely under an individual's name for regulated materials.
• 72-Hour Production Rule: Ensure all transaction records (weight, date, seller entity, fire docs) are retrievable and producible to DPS or local law enforcement within 72 hours of a request.
• Fire Salvage Documentation: Create a specific file for "Burnt Wire" purchases to house the required fire event documentation.

Fees & Costs

• Administrative Fines: Budget for potential $10,000 administrative penalties per violation for failure to exercise due diligence in purchasing.
• Legal Defense: Anticipate increased legal costs for defending against "Unauthorized Possession" charges if drivers are stopped without proper paperwork.