Section 10-1-359.1 - Registration of secondary metals recycler; electronic data base; authority of sheriff; penalty for violation(a) It shall be unlawful for any secondary metals recycler to purchase regulated metal property in any amount without being registered pursuant to this Code section. If the secondary metals recycler is a person other than an individual, such person shall register with the sheriff of each county in which the secondary metals recycler maintains a place of business. If the secondary metals recycler is an individual, he or she shall register with the sheriff of the county in which he or she resides or if such individual is a nonresident of this state, he or she shall register with the sheriff of the county in Georgia where he or she primarily engages or intends to primarily engage in business as a secondary metals recycler. The secondary metals recycler shall declare on a form promulgated by the Secretary of State and provided by the sheriff that such secondary metals recycler is informed of and will comply with the provisions of this article. The forms and information required for such registration shall be promulgated by the Secretary of State. The sheriff shall register the secondary metals recycler and shall keep a record of each registration. Each registration shall be valid for a 12 month period beginning January 1, 2024, and shall be renewed annually by January 1 of each year.(b) The record of each registration shall be entered into an electronic data base accessible state wide. Such data base shall be established through coordination with the Secretary of State and shall be searchable by all law enforcement agencies in this state.(c) The sheriff shall be authorized to: (1) Assess and require payment of $200.00 for a new registration and an annual registration renewal for a secondary metals recycler;(2) If applicable, require a secondary metals recycler to submit a current and valid business license in the county or municipality that is associated with the address on the registration form prior to approving the registration or registration renewal;(3) Require the registered agent of a secondary metals recycler to submit to a criminal background check and fingerprinting for a new registration with the costs paid by the secondary metals recycler in an amount not to exceed $75.00;(4) Deny the new registration or registration renewal of a secondary metals recycler if such person's registration has been revoked in another Georgia county, information submitted on the registration form has been determined to be invalid or false, or it is determined by the criminal background check that such person has been convicted of a felony offense under this article more than three times in the previous five years;(5) Revoke the registration of a secondary metals recycler's registered agent if the registered agent has been convicted of a felony offense in the previous five years under this article while serving as a registered agent;(6) Require secondary metals recyclers to provide on the registration form the customer identification number for the current data base contractor maintained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation;(7) Require a secondary metals recycler to submit a signed and sworn statement that such person has not had such secondary metals recycler's registration or business license revoked during the previous year and that the registered agent has not been convicted of a metal theft offense in the previous year;(8) Delegate to personnel in the sheriff's office the registration of secondary metals recyclers and entering into the data base of the records of such registrations; and(9) Enter into contracts with the governing authority of a county, municipality, or consolidated government for such governing authority to provide for the registration of secondary metals recyclers and the entering into the data base of the records of such registrations by other law enforcement agencies or by staff of the governing authority. Any such contract shall provide for reimbursement to such governing authority for the registrations or entry of the records of such registrations into the data base.(d) A secondary metals recycler's registered agent shall be ineligible to obtain a new registration or registration renewal if such person is under indictment for a felony offense for violation of this article or has been convicted of a felony offense in the past five years under this article.(e) Any secondary metals recycler convicted of violating this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 31,§ 1-6, eff. 7/1/2023.Added by 2012 Ga. Laws 590,§ I-1-1, eff. 7/1/2012.