'Junk Dealer' Law Under Review by Kent Administrators

Changes could be coming to a new law dubbed approved by to regulate secondhand goods dealers.

City administrators have met with several businesses required to register under the new law to address questions and consider what changes may be made to the law, which was adopted in November.

Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala said the law is being tweaked following that recent meeting between businesses and city officials.

"Overall it's protection for everybody," Fiala said.

The law requires businesses hold goods they buy from someone for 30 days before reselling them. The rules apply only to brick-and-mortar businesses and not people selling only online out of their home or other location.

The regulations also require businesses to keep records of all their transactions in second-hand articles, and those records must then be filed weekly with the Kent Police Department.

The law was meant to give police a chance to track down stolen goods that may have been sold to a local business for resale.

But after three months, Kent businesses voiced numerous concerns and questions about the law. Kent City Manager Dave Ruller addressed 20 points raised during the meeting with business owners in a recent email to Kent council members.

"In nearly every instance, the staff was able to work with the store owners-managers to find a reasonable solution to their concern, and we plan to bring these recommended revisions to (council) for your consideration in May," Ruller wrote.

Among the concerns expressed by businesses was a desire to include junk yards; possibly eliminating the $200 "junk dealer" license fee; and potentially cutting the holding period from 30 days to 21.

"We recognize that this is a new requirement and we're more than willing to work with the vendors to work the kinks out before any regulatory actions are taken," Ruller said.