Dive Brief:

• The National Conference of State Legislatures is right to disagree with a proposed federal law that is intended to fight metals theft, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries recently said. After NCLS sent a letter this month to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, which stated a federal metals theft law "may preempt some state laws" and do more harm than good in battling the problem, ISRI officials spoke out on the matter.
• The proposed federal metals theft law is unneeded since every state already has such a law, said ISRI president Robin Wiener. "Recyclers across the country have worked closely with law enforcement and elected officials to pass strong legislation to effectively address the specific needs of their communities," Wiener said.
• In a Congressional push to fight metals theft, Senate Bill 394 was introduced in the 113th Congress, but it has provisions that add bureaucracy and confusion, ISRI said. Members of Congress recently tried to put language similar to the bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Dive Insight:

"A federal law would only add a layer of complexity and confusion for federal, state and local law enforcement, prosecutors and recyclers," Wiener said.