1999 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 247 – MV, towed, notice to owner

HOUSE BILL NO. 247

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H0247.........................................by TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENSE
MOTOR VEHICLES - TOWED - Amends existing law to provide that a possessory
lienholder shall request the names and addresses of persons having an
interest in a vehicle, which has been towed at the direction of an
authorized officer, within forty-eight hours after acquiring possession of
the vehicle; to provide for notice to legal or registered owners within
forty-eight hours after receiving the information; to provide the form of
notice if the vehicle is removed from real property under particular
circumstances; and to impose similar time requirements with respect to
procedures for disposition of low-valued vehicles.

02/15    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/16    Rpt prt - to Transp

Bill Text


H0247


                                                                        
 ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature                 First Regular Session - 1999
                                                                        

                             IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 247

                         BY TRANSPORTATION AND DEFENSE COMMITTEE

 1                                        AN ACT
 2    RELATING TO ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES; AMENDING SECTION 49-1809, IDAHO CODE, TO
 3        PROVIDE THAT A POSSESSORY LIENHOLDER SHALL REQUEST THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES
 4        OF PERSONS HAVING AN INTEREST IN  THE  VEHICLE  WITHIN  FORTY-EIGHT  HOURS
 5        AFTER  ACQUIRING POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE, TO PROVIDE FOR NOTICE TO LEGAL
 6        OR REGISTERED OWNERS WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OF  RECEIVING  THE  INFORMA-
 7        TION,  TO  PROVIDE  THE FORM OF NOTICE IF THE VEHICLE IS REMOVED FROM REAL
 8        PROPERTY UNDER PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS;
 9        AND AMENDING SECTION 49-1815, IDAHO  CODE,  TO  REQUIRE  THAT  THE  AGENCY
10        REMOVING THE VEHICLE  REQUEST THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PERSONS HAVING AN
11        INTEREST  IN  THE VEHICLE WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS AFTER TAKING POSSESSION
12        OF THE VEHICLE, TO PROVIDE THAT NO STORAGE CHARGES SHALL ACCRUE BEYOND THE
13        FORTY-EIGHT HOUR PERIOD EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE SECTION, TO REQUIRE THAT
14        THE PRESCRIBED FORMS BE SENT TO THE REGISTERED OR LEGAL  OWNER  AND  OTHER
15        PERSONS  HAVING  AN  INTEREST  IN  THE VEHICLE WITHIN FORTY-EIGHT HOURS OF
16        RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

17    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

18        SECTION 1.  That Section 49-1809, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
19    amended to read as follows:

20        49-1809.  REQUEST  BY POSSESSORY  LIEN HOLDER   LIENHOLDER
21     FOR NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF INTERESTED PERSONS -- NOTICE OF SALE TO SAT-
22    ISFY LIEN. (1)  Within forty-eight (48)  hours,  excluding  weekends  and
23    holidays,  a  A fter acquiring possession of a vehicle in any
24    manner authorized by the provisions of this chapter, the possessory  lien
25    holder   lienholder  shall make a request to  the  department
26    for  the  names and addresses of all persons having an interest in the vehicle
27    as appears in the department records. The possessory  lien holder  
28      lienholder  shall , upon receipt of this information, 
29    notify all legal  or  registered  owners    in  accordance  with  section
30    49-1805,  Idaho  Code   within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of
31    this information, excluding weekends and  holidays  ,  unless  otherwise
32    already  complied  with.    Notices  shall  be in accordance with section
33    49-1805, Idaho Code, unless the vehicle was acquired under the  provisions  of
34    section 49-1806(1), Idaho Code, in which case the notice shall include:
35     
36          (a)  The name, address and telephone number of the possessory lien-
37        holder;
38     
39         (b) A description of the vehicle, including make, year, model, iden-
40        tification number, license number and state of registration;
41     
42         (c) The names and addresses of the registered and  legal  owners  of
43        the vehicle and any other person known to have an interest in the vehicle;


                                         2

 1        and
 2     
 3          (d) The amount of the lien and the facts concerning the claim which
 4        gave rise to the lien. 
 5    Whenever a vehicle has been removed under the provisions of this  chapter  and
 6    the  possessory   lien holder   lienholder  has sent the
 7    notice as provided, the possessory  lien holder     lienholder
 8      shall  have  a lien dependent upon possession for his compensation for
 9    towage and for caring for and keeping  safe  the  vehicle  for  a  period  not
10    exceeding sixty (60) days. If the vehicle is not recovered by the owner within
11    that  period or the owner is unknown, the keeper of the garage may satisfy his
12    lien in the manner prescribed in this chapter. The lien shall not be assigned.
13        (2)  No lien shall attach to any personal property in or on  the  vehicle.
14    Personal  property in or on the vehicle shall be given to the registered owner
15    or owner's authorized agent upon demand. The  lien  holder    
16    lienholder   shall not be responsible for property after any vehicle has
17    been disposed of pursuant to this chapter.

18        SECTION 2.  That Section 49-1815, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
19    amended to read as follows:

20        49-1815.  DISPOSITION  OF  LOW-VALUED VEHICLES -- PROCEDURE. The procedure
21    for the disposition of low-valued vehicles is as follows:
22        (1)  The person or agency which removes the vehicle  shall,  within  
23    fifteen (15) working days   forty-eight (48) hours, excluding week-
24    ends  and  holidays,    following the date of possession of the vehicle,
25    make a request to the department for the names and addresses  of  all  persons
26    having  an  interest in the vehicle. No storage charge shall accrue beyond the
27     fifteen (15) day   forty-eight (48) hour  period unless
28    the lienholder has made a request to the department as provided in  this  sec-
29    tion.
30        (2)  The  person  or  agency which removes the vehicle shall  immedi-
31    ately upon   within forty-eight (48) hours  of    receipt  of
32    this  information , excluding weekends and holidays,  send, by cer-
33    tified mail with return receipt requested, the following prescribed forms  and
34    enclosures  to  the  registered  owner  and  legal owner at their addresses of
35    record with the department, and to any other person known to have an  interest
36    in the vehicle:
37        (a)  A  completed  form entitled "Notice of Intent to Dispose of a Vehicle
38        Valued at $200 or Less";
39        (b)  A blank form entitled "Declaration of Opposition".
40        (3)  All notices to persons having an interest in  the  vehicle  shall  be
41    signed under penalty of perjury and shall include all of the following:
42        (a)  A description of the vehicle, including make, year model, identifica-
43        tion number, license number, and state of registration;
44        (b)  The  names  and  addresses  of the registered and legal owners of the
45        vehicle and any other person known to have an interest in the vehicle;
46        (c)  The following statements and information:
47             1.  The amount of the lien;
48             2.  The facts concerning the claim which give rise to the lien;
49             3.  The person has a right to a hearing in court;
50             4.  If a hearing in court is desired,  a  declaration  of  opposition
51             form  shall  be  signed  under penalty of perjury and returned to the
52             agency which requested the tow within ten (10) days of the  date  the
53             notice  of intent to dispose of a vehicle valued at  two hundred


                                         3

 1             dollars ( $200 )  or less form was mailed; and
 2             5.  The declarant may be liable for court  costs  if  a  judgment  is
 3             entered in favor of the possessory lienholder.
 4        (d)  A statement that the possessory lienholder may dispose of the vehicle
 5        to  a certified automobile parts dealer if it is not redeemed or if a dec-
 6        laration of opposition form is not signed and mailed to the  agency  which
 7        requested the tow within ten (10) days of the date the notice of intent to
 8        dispose of a vehicle valued at  two hundred dollars ( $200
 9        )  or less form was mailed.
10        (4)  If  the  agency which requested the tow receives a completed declara-
11    tion of opposition form within the time prescribed, the vehicle shall  not  be
12    disposed  of  for  an additional fifteen (15) day period during which time the
13    individual filing the declaration of opposition must file an action  with  the
14    appropriate  court  and  cause the possessory lienholder to be served with the
15    summons and complaint. The filing and service of the action will stay disposal
16    of the vehicle pending decision by the court unless the declarant subsequently
17    releases his interest in the vehicle.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                              RS08986

This change will give tow operators a means to perfect a lien on
vehicles removed from private property, and will provide for
timely notice to all persons having an interest in low valued
vehicles that are removed by any person or agency.







                            FISCAL NOTE

This change will have no fiscal impact.













CONTACT:  Douglas Gaskell
       Idaho Independent Auto Dealers Association
       208/376-9517
       

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/ FISCAL NOTE      Bill No.      H 247