HB1503

House Bill 1503 creates two new criminal offenses in Arkansas: 'operating a chop shop' and 'dealing in stolen or forged motor vehicle parts.' A chop shop is defined as a facility used to sell, transfer, or modify motor vehicles or their parts to obscure their identity, typically by altering vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Operating a chop shop is classified as a Class C felony, while dealing in stolen or forged parts is classified as a Class D felony. The bill provides specific exemptions for legitimate scrap metal processors operating in good faith and for owners of vehicles that have been recovered by law enforcement after being stolen. Furthermore, the bill mandates that individuals convicted of these offenses be ordered to pay restitution to the original owners, their insurance companies, or any other parties who suffered financial losses due to the criminal activity. The bill broadens the definition of 'motor vehicle' to include land-based, self-propelled devices such as farm machinery and steam shovels.