2016 -- H 8048

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LC005643

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE TOWING STORAGE ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: April 07, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-12.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-12.1 entitled "The

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Towing Storage Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-12.1-2. Definitions. -- As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the

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meaning as set forth in this section.

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      (1) "Abandoned vehicle" means (i) a vehicle that is inoperable and over eight (8) years

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old and is left unattended on public property for more than forty-eight (48) hours, or (ii) a vehicle

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that has remained illegally on public property for a period of more than three (3) days, or (iii) a

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vehicle that has remained on private property without the consent of the owner or person in

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control of the property for more than three (3) days.

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      (2) "Abandoned vehicle of no value" means (i) a motor vehicle that is inoperable and

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over ten (10) years old and is left unattended on public property for more than forty-eight (48)

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hours, or (ii) a vehicle that has remained illegally on public property for a period of more than

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three (3) days, or (iii) a vehicle that has remained on private property without the consent of the

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owner or person in control of the property for more than three (3) days, and meets the following

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criteria:

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      (A) The vehicle has no evidence of current registration in or upon the vehicle; and

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      (B) The vehicle has a fair market value of five hundred dollars ($500) or less; and

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      (C) The vehicle does not have a valid inspection sticker.

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      (3) "Certificated tower" means a carrier possessing a certificate of public convenience

 

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and necessity issued by the public utilities administrator for the purpose of transporting vehicles

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by tow-away method.

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      (4) "Legal owner" means the person who has obtained ownership of a vehicle by any

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legal means but has not caused the vehicle to be registered with the division of motor vehicles.

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      (5) "Police department" means the police department of a city or town or the Rhode

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Island state department.

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      (6) "Possessory lien" means the right to retain possession of a vehicle and motor vehicle

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registration plates against all claims of the owner and/or security lien or until all charges are paid

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for recovery, towing, storage in accordance with the certificated tower's tariff.

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      (7) "Private trespass" means the unattended presence of a vehicle on private property

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without the consent of the owner or person in control thereof.

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      (8) "Registered owner" means the person recorded in the division of motor vehicles as

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being the one to whom the registration of the vehicle was issued.

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     (9) "Seizure" means any vehicle removed from a public roadway pursuant to a lawful

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police order to a police department impound lot for investigation.

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      (9)(10) "Tow truck" means any motor vehicle designed and/or ordinarily used for the

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purpose of towing or removing vehicles or assisting disabled motor vehicles.

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      (10)(11) "Unattended vehicle" means any vehicle other than an "abandoned vehicle" or

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"abandoned vehicle of no value" as which meets the following criteria:

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      (i) Left unoccupied in a place or for a time period prohibited by law or municipal

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ordinance or so as to cause traffic congestion or hazard; or

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      (ii) From which the operator or owner thereof has been removed by any member of a

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police department in the performance of his or her official duties; or

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      (iii) Left on public or private property without the consent of the owner or person in

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control thereof, or one having the exclusive right to the use thereof.

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      (11)(12) "Vehicle" means any motor vehicle as defined in § 39-12-2(m).

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      (12)(13)"Vehicle survey report" means a report printed in the form provided in § 31-42-

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1(f).

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 39-12.1 of the General Laws entitled "The Towing Storage Act" is

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hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     39-12.1-12.1. Seizure of vehicle by police. – (a) Any vehicle removed from a public

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roadway pursuant to a lawful order issued by a police officer for investigation and transported to

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the police station for processing shall not be released to the registered owner, lessor and/or a

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rental car company by the police until the cost of the removal has been paid either to the police

 

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department or the tow truck operator.

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     (b)(1) Any unregistered motor vehicle removed from a public roadway pursuant to a

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lawful order issued by a police officer and transported to the tow truck operator's storage facility

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shall not be released to the legal owner, lessor and/or a rental car company by the tow truck

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operator until the cost of the removal and storage have been paid and proof of a valid registration

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is presented.

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     (2) In the event the legal owner, lessor and/or a rental car company fails to present a valid

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certificate of registration, the vehicle may be towed out of the storage facility to wherever the

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legal owner wishes upon payment of the original towing cost, storage fees and the additional

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towing costs for removal.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- THE TOWING STORAGE ACT

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     This act would require that motor vehicles lawfully seized by police officers for

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investigation or for lack of registration not be released to their owners until the towing charges

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are paid or valid registration certificates are produced.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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