SB 153

Under current law, if a vehicle is left unattended for a certain period of time,

the vehicle is generally considered abandoned. Current law requires an abandoned

vehicle to be impounded until claimed or disposed of. If an authorized municipal or

county representative determines that the cost of towing and storage in

impoundment exceeds the abandoned vehicle's value, the municipality or county

may junk or sell that abandoned vehicle under certain conditions. This bill allows

the municipality or county to donate that abandoned vehicle as well as junk or sell

it. If an abandoned vehicle is impounded, current law allows the municipality or

county to dispose of an unclaimed impounded vehicle by sealed bid or auction sale

as provided by ordinance. If no acceptable bid is received, the municipality or county

may readvertise the sale, adjourn the sale, sell the impounded vehicle at a private

sale, or junk the impounded vehicle. This bill allows the municipality or county to

donate to a nonprofit organization an unclaimed impounded vehicle, either in lieu

of the sale or if no acceptable bid is received.

Also, under current law, if a vehicle is seized and forfeited due to the commission

of a crime, the law enforcement agency that seizes the vehicle may retain it for official

use or sell it. This bill allows the law enforcement agency to also donate the vehicle

to a nonprofit organization.