The Baltimore City Council recently passed a bill through second reader to regulate scrap metal dealers. The effort would be substantially similar to a bill already passed in Baltimore County. MACo has advocated for sensible regulation of scrap metal dealers, to help to curb an "easy money" environment that has led to numerous incidents of property theft and destruction. MACo supported statewide legislation each of the last two years to address this issue (see SB32-ECM…

The Baltimore County Council unanimously adopted a law regulating local scrap metal dealers.  This regulatory authority has existed for local governments, but many counties have expressed concern about the very limited ability of any one political jurisdiction to address the crime problems connected to property theft and "easy money" for metal goods -- as long as individual may cross county lines to find less regulated dealers, the problems will continue to some degree. MACo, who…