By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

THE House of Representative has passed a bill that aims to address the growing number of copper wire thefts.
Introduced by Rep. Ray N. Yumul, Ind.-Saipan, House Bill 15-200 will amend Public Law 15-36, which regulates the scrap metal recycling business in the CNMI.
The bill imposes a 45-day waiting period on scrap metal recyclers before they can ship out items from the CNMI.
According to the bill, “theft of copper and other wire has become a serious problem for residents and businesses in the CNMI, which is why it is “necessary to implement a 45-day waiting period prior to sale of after-market copper wire to prevent the further destruction and theft of property in the commonwealth.”
The bill stated that “no recycled product shall be removed from the commonwealth before 45 days after the date of purchase by the recycler. The Department of Public Safety and the Division of Customs shall investigate shipments of recycled products for compliance with this act and other commonwealth law.”