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Committee advances bill allowing vehicle impoundment for drivers without license; amendment added sale/abandonment procedure
Summary
The committee approved House Bill 304, which would allow statewide vehicle impoundment when a driver lacks a valid license under specified conditions; members added a Department of Revenue amendment clarifying sale or disposition under unclaimed motor-vehicle law.
The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee voted to report House Bill 304 with an amendment from the Department of Revenue that aligns post-impound disposition with the unclaimed-and-abandoned motor-vehicle procedures already in state law.
Representative Kiel, the bill sponsor, said the measure would allow municipal ordinances like Russell's to operate statewide and let officers impound a vehicle when the operator does not hold a valid license under certain conditions. Kiel told the committee the measure is aimed at preventing unlicensed drivers from continuing to drive after a stop.
Several members expressed concern about the downstream costs to drivers. Representative Wadsworth and others noted that towing and storage fees can be substantial and asked whether the bill limits towing or storage charges or requires owner notification; the sponsor said officers retain discretion to release vehicles to a licensed driver and pointed to language directing officers to transport drivers to a safe location.
Representative Pettis and others also raised a drafting concern: under prior law vehicles had to be towed in certain DUI/suspension circumstances ("shall tow"); the sponsor said that was not his intent and offered to accept an amendment to address that point.
The committee adopted a Department of Revenue amendment that replaces language on disposition with a cross-reference to the unclaimed-and-abandoned motor-vehicle procedure (section 32-8-84 and chapter 13 of the title). After adoption of that amendment the committee voted to report the bill favorably as amended.
The amendment clarifies post-impound sale and disposition and does not add a cap on towing or storage fees; questions about fee limits and owner-notification remained on the record. The bill will proceed to the full House as amended.
