Bill Amendment: IL HB4943 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: TELECOMMUNICATIONS THEFT

Status: 2026-07-31 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0689 [HB4943 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4943-House_Amendment_002.html

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Rep. Jay Hoffman

Filed: 3/25/2026

 

 

 

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4943
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4943 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 5. The Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law
is amended by changing Sections 2, 4.1, and 4.3 as follows:
(815 ILCS 325/2) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 322)
Sec. 2. Definitions. When used in this Act:
"Burned wire" means any coated metal wire that has been
smelted, burned, or melted, thereby removing the protective
coating or the manufacturer's or owner's identifying marks.
"Catalytic converter" means a post-combustion device that
oxidizes hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide gases or reduces
oxides of nitrogen and that is designed or intended for use as
part of an emission control system. As used in this Section,
"catalytic converter" includes nonferrous parts, including
rhodium, platinum, and palladium.

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"Detached catalytic converter" means a catalytic converter
that was previously installed on a motor vehicle and
subsequently removed.
"Recyclable metal" means any copper, brass, or aluminum,
or any combination of those metals, or any catalytic converter
or its contents purchased by a recyclable metal dealer,
irrespective of form or quantity, except that "recyclable
metal" does not include: (i) items designed to contain, or to
be used in the preparation of, beverages or food for human
consumption; (ii) discarded items of non-commercial or
household waste; (iii) gold, silver, platinum, and other
precious metals used in jewelry; or (iv) vehicles, junk
vehicles, vehicle cowls, or essential vehicle parts.
"Recyclable metal" includes copper, brass, aluminum, or any
combination of those metals found in telecommunications wire
or in any other equipment used to provide (i)
telecommunications services, as described in Section 13-203 of
the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) broadband service,
interconnected VoIP services, or wireless services, as
described in Section 13-804 of the Public Utilities Act.
"Recyclable metal dealer" means any individual, firm,
corporation or partnership conducting activity within the
boundaries of the State of Illinois and engaged in the
business of purchasing and reselling recyclable metal either
at a permanently established place of business or in
connection with a business of an itinerant nature, including

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junk shops, junk yards, or junk stores, except that
"recyclable metal dealer" does not include automotive parts
recyclers, scrap processors, repairers and rebuilders licensed
pursuant to Section 5-301 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
Recyclable metal dealers shall not be engaged in the business
of purchasing or reselling vehicles, junk vehicles, vehicle
cowls, or essential vehicle parts.
"Telecommunications wire" means (i) wire used in a
wireline communications network facility or (ii) wire used in
a wireless communications network facility, fiber, copper
cable sheathed, or twisted-pair wire without sheathing.
"Telecommunications wire" includes tower, antennae, bus bar,
copper ground support structures, burned wire, and all
associated aerial or ground-based cable lines or equipment
used as part of a wireline or wireless telecommunications or
broadband network.
(Source: P.A. 102-906, eff. 5-27-22; 103-677, eff. 1-1-25.)
(815 ILCS 325/4.1)
Sec. 4.1. Restricted purchases.
(a) It is a violation of this Act for any person to
possess, purchase, attempt to purchase, sell or attempt to
sell, or for any recyclable metal dealer to purchase or
attempt to purchase, any of the following:
(1) materials that are clearly marked as property
belonging to a business or someone else other than the

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seller;
(2) property associated with use by governments,
utilities, or railroads including, but not limited to,
guardrails, manhole covers, electric transmission and
distribution equipment, including transformers, grounding
straps, wires or poles, historical markers, street signs,
traffic signs, sewer grates, or any rail, switch
component, spike, angle bar, tie plate, or bolt of the
type used in constructing railroad track;
(3) cemetery plaques or ornaments; or
(4) any catalytic converter or its contents not
attached to a motor vehicle at the time of the transaction
unless the seller is licensed as an automotive parts
recycler or scrap processor; or .
(5) telecommunications wire in any amount unless the
seller is an authorized agent, a representative, an
employee, or a licensed contractor of a public utility, a
provider of telecommunications services as described in
Section 13-203 of the Public Utilities Act, or a provider
of broadband service, interconnected VoIP services, or
wireless services as described in Section 13-804 of the
Public Utilities Act.
(b) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 102-906, eff. 5-27-22; 103-677, eff. 1-1-25.)
(815 ILCS 325/4.3)

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Sec. 4.3. Purchases of copper and telecommunications wire.
A recyclable metal dealer shall not pay cash in payment for any
copper, including copper tubing or wiring, or
telecommunications wire having a value of $100 or more.
Payment for these materials must be made as follows:
(1) by check or money order;
(2) the payee on the check or money order shall be the
same person as the seller who conducted the transaction;
(3) if the seller is a business, then the recyclable
metal dealer shall make the check or money order payable
to the company, and not to any individual employee or
agent of the company.
(Source: P.A. 97-923, eff. 1-1-13.)".