Committee amends impoundment notice to align with state law, reinstates Revenue Authority role

The TIE Committee on May 8 approved an amendment to CB-38 to align the county’s vehicle-impoundment notice requirements with state law and to keep the Revenue Authority as the responsible agency. The committee then voted to send the bill forward as amended.

Committee staff said current county code requires a two-day notice to an owner; CB-38 would change that to seven days to match state law. Administration staff asked that the Revenue Authority remain listed as the agency overseeing impound notices rather than replacing it with the Department of the Environment. Miss Skinner explained the request: "On page 1, line 17, we are asking to reinstate revenue authority... and then on line 18, we want to delete department of the environment or their designate."

A motion to amend the draft to restore the Revenue Authority and remove the Department of the Environment carried on roll call (recorded as passed). The committee then approved the bill as amended; the final roll call was 4–0 (Chair Olsen, Council Member Begay, Council Member DeNogue and Vice Chair Harrison voted aye). Committee members noted the change to the notice period remains in place: "Not necessarily because the online 16 regarding the days and notice of the impound... we still want that change to align with state law for the 7 business days," an administration speaker said on the record.

The committee’s action was procedural and did not include additional changes to the substance of the seven-business-day alignment; the bill moves to the full council with the Revenue Authority restored as the enforcement agency.