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H.B. 26

             1     

IMPOUNDING AMENDMENTS

             2     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Brent H. Goodfellow

             5      AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES; PERMITTING VEHICLES OPERATED
             6      WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF OWNER'S OR OPERATOR'S SECURITY OR WITH FALSE
             7      LICENSE PLATES OR REGISTRATION TO BE SEIZED; ESTABLISHING CONDITIONS OF
             8      RELEASE; PROVIDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN COSTS; AND PROVIDING
             9      AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          41-1a-1101, as last amended by Chapters 270 and 281, Laws of Utah 1998
             13          41-1a-1102, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 1, Laws of Utah 1992
             14          41-12a-806, as last amended by Chapter 269, Laws of Utah 1997
             15      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             16          Section 1. Section 41-1a-1101 is amended to read:
             17           41-1a-1101. Seizure -- Circumstances where permitted -- Impound lot standards.
             18          (1) The division or any peace officer, without a warrant, may seize and take possession of
             19      any vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor:
             20          (a) that the division or the peace officer has reason to believe has been stolen;
             21          (b) on which any identification number has been defaced, altered, or obliterated;
             22          (c) that displays a license plate or registration document that was not issued for that
             23      vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor;
             24          [(c)] (d) that has been abandoned on [the] a public [highways] highway;
             25          [(d)] (e) for which the applicant has written a check for registration or title fees that has
             26      not been honored by the applicant's bank and that is not paid within 30 days;
             27          [(e)] (f) that is placed on the water with improper registration; or


             28          [(f)] (g) that is being operated on a highway:
             29          (i) with registration that has been expired for more than three months;
             30          (ii) having never been properly registered by the current owner; [or]
             31          (iii) with registration that is suspended or revoked[.]; or
             32          (iv) without evidence of owner's or operator's security as required under Section
             33      41-12a-303.2 if owner's or operator's security is required under Subsection 41-12a-301 (2)(a) or
             34      (2)(b)(ii).
             35          (2) If necessary for the transportation of a seized vessel, the vessel's trailer may be seized
             36      to transport and store the vessel.
             37          (3) Any peace officer seizing or taking possession of a vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor
             38      under this section shall immediately notify the division of the action.
             39          (4) A vehicle or vessel seized under this section shall be moved by a peace officer or by
             40      a tow truck that meets the standards established:
             41          (a) by the Department of Public Safety under Subsection 41-6-102 (4)(b); and
             42          (b) under Title 72, Chapter 9, Motor Carrier Safety Act.
             43          (5) (a) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             44      commission shall make rules setting standards for public garages, impound lots, and impound
             45      yards that may be used by peace officers and the division.
             46          (b) The standards shall be equitable, reasonable, and unrestrictive as to the number of
             47      public garages, impound lots, or impound yards per geographical area.
             48          (6) (a) Except as provided under Subsection (6)(b), a person may not operate or allow to
             49      be operated a vehicle stored in a public garage, impound lot, or impound yard regulated under this
             50      part without prior written permission of the owner of the vehicle.
             51          (b) Incidental and necessary operation of a vehicle to move the vehicle from one parking
             52      space to another within the facility and that is necessary for the normal management of the facility
             53      is not prohibited under this Subsection (6)(a).
             54          (7) A person who violates the provisions of Subsection (6) is guilty of a class C
             55      misdemeanor.
             56          (8) The division or the peace officer who seizes a vehicle shall record the mileage shown
             57      on the vehicle's odometer at the time of seizure, if:
             58          (a) the vehicle is equipped with an odometer; and


             59          (b) the odometer reading is accessible to the division or to the peace officer.
             60          Section 2. Section 41-1a-1102 is amended to read:
             61           41-1a-1102. Storage -- Establishing conditions of release.
             62          (1) The division may store a seized vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor in a public or private
             63      garage, state impound lot, or other approved storage facility until:
             64          (a) the vehicle's, vessel's, or outboard motor's registration has been properly completed and
             65      the appropriate fees have been paid [or until];
             66          (b) the ownership of the vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor is established to the satisfaction
             67      of the division[.]; or
             68          (c) if the vehicle is seized under Subsection 41-1a-1101 (1)(g)(iv):
             69          (i) evidence of owner's or operator's security in a form described under Section
             70      41-12a-303.2 is presented to the division; and
             71          (ii) a $5 administrative impound fee is paid to the division.
             72          (2) If the identification number has been defaced, altered, or obliterated, the vehicle,
             73      vessel, or outboard motor may not be released until the identification number has been replaced
             74      or until a new number assigned by the division has been provided and has been affixed to the
             75      vehicle, vessel, or outboard motor.
             76          (3) The Driver License Division of the Department of Public Safety shall provide a
             77      reimbursement of all vehicle towing and storage fees and of the administrative impound fees
             78      required under Subsection (1)(c) from the Uninsured Motorist Identification Restricted Account
             79      to a person whose vehicle was seized under Subsection 41-1a-1101(1)(g)(iv) if:
             80          (a) the person had owner's or operator's security in effect for the vehicle the person was
             81      operating at the time of seizure;
             82          (b) information from the Uninsured Motorist Identification Database Program created
             83      under Title 41, Chapter 12a, Part 8, incorrectly identified the vehicle as being uninsured at the time
             84      of seizure; and
             85          (c) the person applies to the Driver License Division of the Department of Public Safety
             86      and provides evidence of the costs eligible for reimbursement under this Subsection (3).
             87          Section 3. Section 41-12a-806 is amended to read:
             88           41-12a-806. Restricted Account -- Creation -- Funding -- Interest -- Purposes.
             89          (1) There is created within the Transportation Fund a restricted account known as the


             90      "Uninsured Motorist Identification Restricted Account."
             91          (2) The account consists of monies generated from the following revenue sources:
             92          (a) monies received by the state under Section 41-1a-1218 , the uninsured motorist
             93      identification fee; and
             94          (b) appropriations made to the account by the Legislature.
             95          (3) (a) The account shall earn interest.
             96          (b) All interest earned on account monies shall be deposited into the account.
             97          (4) Monies shall be appropriated from the account by the Legislature to the department to:
             98          (a) fund the contract with the designated agent; [and]
             99          (b) offset the costs to state and local law enforcement agencies of using the information
             100      for the purposes authorized under this part[.]; and
             101          (c) reimburse a person's fees as required under Subsection 41-1a-1102 (3).
             102          Section 4. Effective date.
             103          This act takes effect on July 1, 2000.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-8-99 1:18 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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