Session of 1998
                   
HOUSE BILL No. 2736
         
By Committee on Transportation
         
1-29
            9             AN ACT relating to motor vehicles; concerning the removal of disabled
10             vehicles; amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 8-1102 and repealing the exist-
11             ing section.
12            
13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 8-1102 is hereby amended to read as
15       follows: 8-1102. (a) (1) A person shall not use the public highway to aban-
16       don vehicles or use the highway to leave vehicles unattended in such a
17       manner as to interfere with public highway operations. When a person
18       leaves a motor vehicle on a public highway or other property open to use
19       by the public, the public agency having jurisdiction of such highway or
20       other property open to use by the public, after 48 eight hours or when
21       the motor vehicle interferes with public highway operations, may remove
22       and impound the motor vehicle.
23           (2) Any motor vehicle which has been impounded as provided in this
24       section for 30 days or more shall be disposed of in the following manner:
25       If such motor vehicle has displayed thereon a registration plate issued by
26       the division of vehicles and has been registered with the division, the
27       public agency shall mail a notice by certified mail to the registered owner
28       thereof, addressed to the address as shown on the certificate of registra-
29       tion, and to the lienholder, if any, of record in the county in which the
30       title shows the owner resides, if registered in this state, stating that if the
31       owner or lienholder does not claim such motor vehicle and pay the re-
32       moval and storage charges incurred by such public agency on it within 15
33       days from the date of the mailing of the notice, that it will be sold at
34       public auction to the highest bidder for cash. The public agency shall
35       inquire by mail of the division of vehicles the last registered owner and
36       any lienholders, if any.
37           After 15 days from date of mailing notice, the public agency shall pub-
38       lish a notice once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
39       general circulation in the county where such motor vehicle was aban-
40       doned and left, which notice shall describe the motor vehicle by name of
41       maker, model, serial number, and owner, if known, and stating that it has
42       been impounded by the public agency and that it will be sold at public
43       auction to the highest bidder for cash if the owner thereof does not claim

HB 2736

2

  1       it within 10 days of the date of the second publication of the notice and
  2       pay the removal and storage charges, and publication costs incurred by
  3       the public agency. If the motor vehicle does not display a registration
  4       plate issued by the division of vehicles and is not registered with the
  5       division, the public agency after 30 days from the date of impoundment,
  6       may publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county
  7       where such motor vehicle was abandoned and left, which notice shall
  8       describe the motor vehicle by name of maker, model, color and serial
  9       number and shall state that it has been impounded by said public agency
10       and will be sold at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, if the
11       owner thereof does not claim it within 10 days of the date of the second
12       publication of the notice and pay the removal and storage charges in-
13       curred by the public agency.
14           When any public agency has complied with the provisions of this sec-
15       tion with respect to an abandoned motor vehicle and the owner thereof
16       does not claim it within the time stated in the notice and pay the removal
17       and storage charges and publication costs incurred by the public agency
18       on such motor vehicle, the public agency may sell the motor vehicle at
19       public auction to the highest bidder for cash.
20           (3) After any sale pursuant to this section, the purchaser may file
21       proof thereof with the division of vehicles, and the division shall issue a
22       certificate of title to the purchaser of such motor vehicle. All moneys
23       derived from the sale of motor vehicles pursuant to this section, after
24       payment of the expenses of the impoundment and sale, shall be paid into
25       the fund of the public agency which is used by it for the construction or
26       maintenance of highways.
27           (b) Any person who abandons and leaves a vehicle on real property,
28       other than public property or property open to use by the public, which
29       is not owned or leased by such person or by the owner or lessee of such
30       vehicle shall be guilty of criminal trespass, as defined by K.S.A. 21-3721,
31       and amendments thereto, and upon request of the owner or occupant of
32       such real property, the public agency in whose jurisdiction such property
33       is situated may remove and dispose of such vehicle in the manner pro-
34       vided in subsection (a), except that the provisions of subsection (a) re-
35       quiring that a motor vehicle be abandoned for a period of time in excess
36       of 48 eight hours prior to its removal shall not be applicable to abandoned
37       vehicles which are subject to the provisions of this subsection. Any person
38       removing such vehicle from the real property at the request of such public
39       agency shall have a possessory lien on such vehicle for the costs incurred
40       in removing, towing and storing such vehicle.
41           (c) Whenever any motor vehicle has been left unattended for more
42       than 48 eight hours or when any unattended motor vehicle interferes with
43       public highway operations, any law enforcement officer is hereby au-

HB 2736

3

  1       thorized to move such vehicle or cause to have the vehicle moved as
  2       provided in K.S.A. 8-1103 et seq., and amendments thereto.
  3           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 8-1102 is hereby repealed.
  4           Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
  5       publication in the statute book.
  6      
  7