DATE: May 20, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Supervisor Garry Bredefeld, District 2
Supervisor Brian Pacheco, District 1
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendment to Ordinance Code of Fresno County, Adding Chapter 10.48, "UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DETACHED CATALYTIC CONVERTERS," to Title 10, "Public, Peace, Morals and Welfare"
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Conduct first hearing to amend the Ordinance Code of Fresno County, Title 10, to add Chapter 10.48, "UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DETACHED CATALYTIC CONVERTERS"; and waive reading of the Ordinance in its entirety and set the second hearing for June 10, 2025;
2. Designate County Counsel to prepare a fair and adequate summary of the proposed Ordinance; and
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to post and publish the required summary in accordance with Government Code, Section 25124(b)(1).
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions which will add Chapter 10.48 to the Fresno County Ordinance Code "UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF DETACHED CATALYTIC CONVERTERS" and will set a second hearing to enable your Board to ensure that a local ordinance is in place imposing fines and potential jail time for those in unlawful possession of a catalytic converter(s). The proposed ordinance will provide law enforcement with additional tools to provide verifiable proof that a catalytic converter is possessed illegally.
In unincorporated Fresno County, hundreds of catalytic converters have been stolen from vehicles, resulting in thousands of dollars in repairs for vehicle owners through no fault of their own.
This proposed ordinance will make unlawful possession of a detached catalytic converter either a misdemeanor subject to:
* A fine of up to $1,000 or by imprisonment in the County Jail for up to one year, or both
* Upon a second offense and subsequent conviction of the offense, the offender shall be punished with a fine of $1,000 and one (1) year in County Jail
or a violation subject to an...
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