Metal recyclers and police are hopeful a state law that requires secondary metal recyclers to register with the local sheriff’s office and keep photographic records of their transactions will help curb the spate of scrap metal and copper thefts that have been occurring in the past few years.

The bill, which takes effect Sunday, requires all secondary metal recyclers to register with the local sheriff’s office.

Chief Deputy Tom Caldwell of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office said they have everything they need to move forward with the database.

Recyclers will pay a $200 annual fee.

The information will go to a database maintained by the secretary of state, said Terry Norris, executive director of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association.

“Our obligations under the scrap metal legislation were to promulgate a form for the sheriffs by July 1, which has been completed and provided to the Sheriffs’ Association as well as the industry, and to coordinate with the sheriffs on a database, on which we are coordinating,” said Jared Thomas, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office.

However, it may be another year before the second database, known as the “transactional” database, may be ready.

The law requires that recyclers keep records of all transactions and report them to the GBI.

But the legislature did not provide any funding for the GBI to create and maintain the database, and now the agency is looking to outsource the task, said spokesman John Bankhead.

A bid was placed on the Georgia Department of Administrative Services’ website seeking bids, he said.

“It won’t happen this year,” Bankhead said.

Recycling companies will still have to keep a record of their transactions.

Newell Recycling centers are ready for the changes, said Frank Goulding, vice president of marketing.

“It required a very large investment on our part but we are ready,” Goulding said, adding that he hopes the law gives police better leads in pursuing metal thieves.

Lt. Gary Clayton said the recyclers in the area often alert them when they see something suspicious.

“We have a great working relationship with the recyclers in Rome,” Clayton said.

Pete Sailors, a Rome Police Department investigator who has advocated tougher laws to curb metal thefts, said the laws should help.

“If they don’t have a way to sell air conditioner part, hopefully it will cut down on the theft,” Sailors said.