Illinois wants to change "stainless steal" back to "stainless steel."
As prices of scrap metal rise, homeowners are increasingly agitated by more frequent thefts. Ornamental decorations, metal gates, gutters and even cemetery plaques have disappeared within the last year.
State lawmakers are working to fix the problem by enforcing stricter laws on scrap dealers.
Proposed legislation passed the House last month requiring scrap dealers to keep records of all purchases, regardless of price. That's an adjustment from the current law, which requires dealers to keep records only of purchases worth $100 or more.
The bill, now in the Senate, would also require dealers pay by check instead of cash for some of the most popular items and keep the sales records for three years instead of two.
If the bill passes, criminals trying to break the law could be obligated to pay for all damages caused.
