Assigned to TRANS                                                                                                                        FOR COMMITTEE

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2478

 

vehicle impounds; poststorage hearings

 

Purpose

 

Transfers the requirement to conduct poststorage hearings from the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) to the law enforcement agency ordering the impound and requires a justice court to conduct the hearing in the event the impounding agency fails to provide the poststorage hearing.

 

Background

 

Laws 2001, Chapter 377 allows a peace officer to have a vehicle towed and impounded for 30 days if the person is driving the vehicle on a revoked license or suspended license if the suspension is due to a DUI conviction, a previous conviction for driving on a suspended license or the accumulation of too many points as a result of convictions for moving violations.  MVD is required to hold poststorage hearings for vehicles that are ordered impounded for any of these circumstances.

 

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this legislation.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Transfers the requirement to conduct poststorage hearings from MVD to the law enforcement agency ordering the impound.

 

2.      Requires a justice court to conduct the poststorage hearing in the event that the impounding agency fails to provide the hearing.

 

3.      Requires poststorage hearing conducted by a justice court be considered civil findings for the purpose of judicial productivity credits.

 

4.      Eliminates the authority to impound a vehicle if the operator’s driving privilege is suspended based on an administrative action by MVD that increased the suspension period as a result of a conviction for driving on a suspended license, unless the person is under an extended suspension resulting from a conviction for operating a vehicle while under suspension for a driving under the influence conviction.

 

5.      Authorizes a vehicle to be released from impound upon order of a justice court conducting the poststorage hearing.

 


6.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

7.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

House Action

 

TRANS           1/28/02            DP       7-1-1-1-0

3rd Read           2/5/02                          33-27-0-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

April 2, 2002