Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Section 40-27-10 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 40-27-10.
AnyA person or entity
buying junk other than junk that consists of nonferrous
metals, as defined by Section 16-17-680, or vehicles or golf
carts shall keep a book that he the
person or entity shall keep open to the inspection of all
persons, wherein he the person or entity
shall set down the name and address, city, and street of every
person selling junk and an itemized statement of all junk bought
from such person persons and the
date of purchase dates.
Any A person or entity buying
junk that consists of nonferrous metals, as defined by Section
16-17-680, is subject to the provisions of Section
16-17-680. A person or entity buying junk that consists of
vehicles or golf carts is subject to the provisions of Sections
56-5-5670 and 56-5-5945."
SECTION 2. Section 40-27-20 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 40-27-20.
Such A person or entity
shall keep each article of junk so purchased
other than junk that consists of nonferrous metals, as
defined by Section 16-17-680, and vehicles or golf carts for
a period of seventy-two hours following such
the purchase and shall keep such
the junk open to the inspection of all persons. A
person or entity buying junk that consists of nonferrous metals,
as defined by Section 16-17-680, is subject to the provisions of
Section 16-17-680. A person or entity buying junk that consists
of vehicles or golf carts is subject to the provisions of
Sections 56-5-5670 and 56-5-5945."
SECTION 3. Section 56-3-1380 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-3-1380.
Any An owner who dismantles or
wrecks any a vehicle or golf cart
registered and licensed under the provisions of
pursuant to this chapter shall forward to the Department
of Motor Vehicles the registration card,
and license plate, and revalidation
sticker last issued for such the vehicle
or golf cart. A person or entity who disposes of a
vehicle or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary metals
recycler shall provide the vehicle's or golf cart's title
certificate to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler so
that the demolisher or secondary metals recycler can surrender
the title certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles
pursuant to Sections 56-5-5670 and 56-5-5945."
SECTION 4. Section 56-5-5640 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-5640.
If an abandoned vehicle or golf cart has not been
reclaimed as provided for in pursuant to
Section 56-5-5630, the proprietor, owner, or operator of the
towing company, storage facility, garage, or repair shop may
have the abandoned vehicle or golf cart sold at a public
auction pursuant to the provisions set forth in
Section 29-15-10. The vehicle's or golf cart's purchaser
of the vehicle shall take title to
it the vehicle or golf cart free and
clear of all liens and claims of ownership, shall receive a
magistrate's order of sale, and is entitled to register the
purchased vehicle or golf cart and receive a certificate
of title. The Office of Court Administration shall design a
uniform magistrate's order of sale for purposes of this section,
Section 56-5-5670, and Section 56-5-5945, and shall make the
order available for distribution to the magistrates. The
magistrate's order of sale given at the sale must be
sufficient title for purposes of transferring the vehicle or
golf cart to a demolisher or secondary metals
recycler for demolition, wrecking, or dismantling, and in
this such case no further titling of the
vehicle or golf cart is necessary. The expenses of the
auction, the costs of towing, preserving, and storing the
vehicle or golf cart which resulted from placing the
vehicle or golf cart in custody, and all notice and
publication costs incurred pursuant to the provisions
of Section 29-15-10 must be reimbursed up to the amount
of the auction sale price from the vehicle's or golf
cart's sale proceeds of the vehicle.
Any remainder of the The remaining sale
proceeds must be held for the vehicle's or golf cart's
owner of the vehicle or entitled lienholder for
ninety days. The magistrate must shall
notify the vehicle's or golf cart's owner and all
lienholders by certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, that the vehicle vehicle's or
golf cart's owner or lienholder has ninety days to claim the
proceeds from the vehicle's or golf cart's sale
of the vehicle. If the
vehicle vehicle's or golf cart's
proceeds are not collected within ninety days from the day after
the notice to the vehicle's or golf cart's owner and all
lienholders is mailed, then the vehicle
vehicle's or golf cart's proceeds must be deposited in
the county or municipality's general fund of the
county or municipality."
SECTION 5. Section 56-5-5670 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-5670.
(A)(1) Except as provided by
subsections (B), (C), and (D), a person or entity may not
dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary
metals recycler without a valid title certificate for the
vehicle or golf cart in the person or entity's name. The person
or entity shall provide the vehicle's or golf cart's title
certificate to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler.
(2)
A The demolisher or
secondary metals recycler who purchases or otherwise
acquires a vehicle for purposes of wrecking, dismantling, or
demolishing is not required to obtain a certificate of
title for the vehicle or golf cart in
his the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler's own name. After the vehicle or golf cart
has been demolished, processed, or changed so that
it the vehicle or golf cart physically
is no longer a vehicle or golf cart, the demolisher or
secondary metals recycler must shall
surrender for cancellation the certificate of
title, auction sales receipt, or disposal authority
certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles for
cancellation.
(3)
The Department of Motor Vehicles
must shall issue forms,
rules, and regulations governing the surrender of
auction sales receipts, disposal authority certificates,
and certificates of title as appropriate.
(4)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
title certificate pursuant to this subsection may wreck,
dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle or golf
cart after the transaction has taken place. The demolisher or
secondary metals recycler shall report the vehicle or golf cart
to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System in
compliance with federal laws and regulations.
(B)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler with a valid
magistrate's order of sale in lieu of a title certificate, if
the person or entity purchases the vehicle or golf cart at a
public auction pursuant to Section 56-5-5640. The person or
entity shall provide the magistrate's order of sale to the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler.
(2)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is
not required to obtain a certificate of title for the vehicle or
golf cart in the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's own
name. After the vehicle or golf cart has been demolished,
processed, or changed so that the vehicle or golf cart
physically is no longer a vehicle or golf carts, the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler shall surrender the magistrate's
order of sale to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(3)
The Office of Court Administration shall design
a uniform magistrate's order of sale for purposes of this
subsection and Section 56-5-5640, and shall make the order
available for distribution to the magistrates. The Department
of Motor Vehicles shall issue forms and regulations governing
the surrender of magistrates' orders of sale as
appropriate.
(4)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
magistrate's order of sale pursuant to this subsection may
wreck, dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle
or golf cart after the transaction has taken place. The
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall report the vehicle
or golf cart to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information
System in compliance with federal laws and regulations.
(C)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler with a valid sheriff's
disposal authority certificate in lieu of a title certificate,
if the vehicle or golf cart is abandoned upon the person or
entity's property or into the person or entity's possession and
the vehicle or golf cart does not meet the requirements of
subsection (D)(1). The person or entity shall provide the
sheriff's disposal authority certificate to the demolisher or
secondary metals recycler.
(2)
The person or entity shall apply to the sheriff
of the jurisdiction in which the vehicle or golf cart is located
for a disposal authority certificate to dispose of the vehicle
or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler. The
application must provide, at a minimum, the person or entity's
name and address, the year, make, model, and identification
number of the vehicle or golf cart, if ascertainable, along with
any other identifying features, and must contain a concise
statement of the facts surrounding the abandonment. The person
or entity shall execute an affidavit stating that the facts
alleged are true and that no material fact has been withheld.
If the sheriff determines that the application is executed in
proper form, and the application demonstrates that the vehicle
or golf cart has been abandoned upon the person or entity's
property or into the person or entity's possession, the
notification procedures set forth in Section 56-5-5630 must be
followed. If the vehicle or golf cart is not reclaimed pursuant
to Section 56-5-5630, the sheriff shall give the applicant a
certificate of authority to dispose of the vehicle or golf cart
to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler. A disposal
authority certificate may contain multiple listings.
(3)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is
not required to obtain a certificate of title for the vehicle or
golf cart in the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's own
name. After the vehicle or golf cart has been demolished,
processed, or changed so that the vehicle or golf cart
physically is no longer a vehicle or golf cart, the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler shall surrender the sheriff's
disposal authority certificate to the Department of Motor
Vehicles.
(4)
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
shall design a uniform sheriff's disposal authority certificate
for purposes of this subsection and shall make the certificate
available for distribution to the sheriffs. The Department of
Motor Vehicles shall issue forms and regulations governing the
surrender of sheriffs' disposal authority certificates as
appropriate.
(5)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
sheriff's disposal authority certificate pursuant to this
subsection may wreck, dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose
of the vehicle or golf cart after the transaction has taken
place. The demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall report
the vehicle or golf cart to the National Motor Vehicle Title
Information System in compliance with federal laws and
regulations.
(D)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler without a title
certificate, magistrate's order of sale, or sheriff's disposal
authority certificate, if:
(a)
the vehicle or golf cart is abandoned upon the
person or entity's property or into the person or entity's
possession, or if the person or entity is the owner of the
vehicle or golf cart and the vehicle's or golf cart's title
certificate is faulty, lost, or destroyed; and
(b)
the vehicle or golf cart:
(i)
is lawfully in the person
or entity's possession;
(ii)
is twelve model years old or older;
(iii)
does not have a valid registration plate
affixed; and
(iv)
has no engine or is otherwise totally
inoperable.
(2)
The person or entity shall complete and sign a
form affirming that the vehicle or golf cart complies with the
requirements of subsection (D)(1). The demolisher or secondary
metals recycler shall maintain the original form affidavit in
the transaction records as required by this section.
(3)
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall develop a
form affidavit for purposes of this subsection and shall make
the form affidavit available for distribution to the demolishers
and secondary metals recyclers.
(4)
Prior to completion of the transaction, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall verify with the
Department of Motor Vehicles whether the vehicle or golf cart
has been reported stolen. The Department of Motor Vehicles
shall develop an electronic system for demolishers and secondary
metals recyclers to use to verify at the time of a transaction
whether a vehicle or golf cart has been reported stolen. The
Department of Motor Vehicles shall not charge a demolisher or
secondary metals recycler a fee for verifying whether a vehicle
or golf cart has been reported stolen. If the Department of
Motor Vehicles indicates to the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler that the vehicle or golf cart has been reported stolen,
the demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall not complete
the transaction and shall notify the appropriate law enforcement
agency. The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is under no
obligation to apprehend the person attempting to sell the
vehicle or golf cart. If the Department of Motor Vehicles
indicates to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler that
the vehicle or golf cart has not been reported stolen, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler may proceed with the
transaction. In such case, the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler is not criminally or civilly liable if the vehicle or
golf cart later turns out to be a stolen vehicle or golf cart,
unless the demolisher or secondary metals recycler had some
other knowledge that the vehicle or golf cart was a stolen
vehicle or golf cart.
(5)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler
shall report the vehicle or golf cart to the National Motor
Vehicle Title Information System at the time of the transaction
or no later than the end of the day of the transaction. A
demolisher or secondary metals recycler who reports vehicles or
golf carts to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information
System through a third party consolidator complies with the
requirements of this subitem if the demolisher or secondary
metals recycler reports the vehicle or golf cart to the third
party consolidator so that the third party consolidator is able
to transmit the vehicle or golf cart information to the National
Motor Vehicle Title Information System no later than the end of
the day of the transaction.
(6)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
form affidavit pursuant to this subsection shall not wreck,
dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle or golf
cart until at least three business days after the transaction
has taken place.
(B)(E)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler
who purchases or otherwise acquires nonferrous metals, as
defined by Section 16-17-680, must
shall comply with and is subject to the provisions of
Section 16-17-680.
(C)(F)(1)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler
must shall keep an accurate and complete
record of all abandoned vehicles or golf
carts and vehicle parts with a total weight of
twenty-five pounds or more purchased or received by
him the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler in the course of his business.
A demolisher, but not a secondary metals recycler, shall also
keep an accurate and complete record of all vehicle or golf cart
parts with a total weight of twenty-five pounds or more
purchased or received by the demolisher in the course of
business. These records must contain, at a
minimum:
(a)
the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's
name and address;
(b)
the name of the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler's employee entering the information;
(c)
the name and address of the person or entity
from whom the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf
cart parts, as applicable, were purchased or
received,;
(d)
a photo or copy of the person's driver's license or
other government issued picture identification card that legibly
shows the person's name and address,. If
the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart parts, as
applicable, are being purchased or received from an entity, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall obtain a photo or
copy of the entity's agent's driver's license or other
government issued picture identification card. If the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler has a photo or copy of
the person or entity's agent's identification on file, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler may reference the
identification on file without making a photocopy for each
transaction;
(e)
the date when the purchases or receipts
occurred, and;
(f)
the year, make, model, and identification number of
the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart
parts, as applicable and if ascertainable, along with any
other identifying features; and
(g)
a copy of the title certificate, magistrate's
order of sale, sheriff's disposal authority certificate, or an
original form affidavit, as applicable.
(2)
The records are must be
kept open for inspection by any police
law enforcement officer at any time during normal
business hours. All vehicles or golf carts on the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler's property or otherwise in the
possession of the demolisher or secondary metals recycler must
be available for inspection by any law enforcement officer at
any time during normal business hours.
(3)
Any record Records required
by this section must be kept by the demolisher or secondary
metals recycler for at least one year after the transaction
to which it applies. A demolisher or secondary metals
recycler may maintain records in an electronic database provided
that the information is legible and can be accessed by law
enforcement upon request.
(D)(G)(1)
A person who violates the provisions of this
section for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred
dollars for each offense not to exceed five thousand dollars for
the same set of transactions or occurrences, or imprisoned for
not more than sixty days, or both. Each violation constitutes a
separate offense. For a second or subsequent offense, the
person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined
not more than one thousand dollars for each offense not to
exceed ten thousand dollars for the same set of transactions or
occurrences, or imprisoned for not more than three years, or
both. Each violation constitutes a separate offense.
(2)
A person who falsifies any information on an
application, form, or affidavit required by this section is
guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not less
than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars,
or imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than three
years, or both.
(3)
In lieu of criminal penalties, the Department of
Motor Vehicles' director may issue an administrative fine not to
exceed one thousand dollars for each violation, whenever the
director, or his designee, after a hearing, determines that a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler has unknowingly and
unwilfully violated any provisions of this section. The hearing
and any administrative review must be conducted in accordance
with the procedure for contested cases under the Administrative
Procedures Act. The proceeds from the administrative fine must
be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted
account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray
the expenses of implementing this section.
(4)
A vehicle or golf cart used to transport a
vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart parts, as
applicable, illegally disposed of in violation of this section
may be seized by law enforcement and is subject to forfeiture;
provided, however, that no vehicle or golf cart is subject to
forfeiture unless it appears that the owner or other person in
charge of the vehicle or golf cart is a consenting party or
privy to the commission of the crime, and a forfeiture of the
vehicle or golf cart encumbered by a security interest is
subject to the interest of the secured party who had no
knowledge of or consented to the act. The seizure and
forfeiture must be accomplished in accordance with the
provisions of Section 56-29-50.
(H) The
Department of Motor Vehicles shall convene a working group
chaired by the Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles or
the director's designee for the purpose of assisting in the
development of a form affidavit to be used for the disposal of
vehicles or golf carts to demolishers or secondary metals
recyclers, the development of an electronic system for
demolishers and secondary metals recyclers to use to verify at
the time of a transaction whether a vehicle or golf cart has
been reported stolen, and assisting in the development of forms
and regulations pursuant to this section. The working group
must consist of representatives from the demolisher industry,
secondary metals recycling industry, law enforcement agencies,
and other relevant agencies, organizations, or industries as
determined by the director."
SECTION 6. Section 56-5-5945 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 56-5-5945.
(A)(1) Except as provided by
subsections (B), (C), and (D), a person or entity may not
dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary
metals recycler without a valid title certificate for the
vehicle or golf cart in the person or entity's name. The person
or entity shall provide the vehicle's or golf cart's title
certificate to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler.
(2)
A The demolisher or
secondary metals recycler who purchases or otherwise
acquires a vehicle for purposes of wrecking, dismantling, or
demolition shall is not be
required to obtain a certificate of title for the vehicle or
golf cart in his the demolisher or
secondary metals recycler's own name. After the vehicle
or golf cart has been demolished, processed, or changed
so that it the vehicle or golf cart
physically is no longer a vehicle or golf cart, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall surrender
for cancellation the certificate of title
or sales receipt issued under Section 56-5-5850
to the Department of Motor Vehicles for cancellation.
(3)
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall issue
forms and regulations governing the surrender of certificates of
title as appropriate.
(4)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
title certificate pursuant to this subsection may wreck,
dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle or golf
cart after the transaction has taken place. The demolisher or
secondary metals recycler shall report the vehicle or golf cart
to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System in
compliance with federal laws and regulations.
(B)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler with a valid
magistrate's order of sale in lieu of a title certificate, if
the person or entity purchases the vehicle or golf cart at a
public auction pursuant to Section 56-5-5640. The person or
entity shall provide the magistrate's order of sale to the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler.
(2)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is
not required to obtain a certificate of title for the vehicle or
golf cart in the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's own
name. After the vehicle or golf cart has been demolished,
processed, or changed so that the vehicle or golf cart
physically is no longer a vehicle or golf cart, the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler shall surrender the magistrate's
order of sale to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(3)
The Office of Court Administration shall design
a uniform magistrate's order of sale for purposes of this
subsection and Section 56-5-5640, and shall make the order
available for distribution to the magistrates. The Department
of Motor Vehicles shall issue forms and regulations governing
the surrender of magistrates' orders of sale as
appropriate.
(4)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
magistrate's order of sale pursuant to this subsection may
wreck, dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle
or golf cart after the transaction has taken place. The
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall report the vehicle
or golf cart to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information
System in compliance with federal laws and regulations.
(C)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler with a valid sheriff's
disposal authority certificate in lieu of a title certificate,
if the vehicle or golf cart is abandoned upon the person or
entity's property or into the person or entity's possession and
the vehicle or golf cart does not meet the requirements of
subsection (D)(1). The person or entity shall provide the
sheriff's disposal authority certificate to the demolisher or
secondary metals recycler.
(2)
The person or entity shall apply to the sheriff
of the jurisdiction in which the vehicle or golf cart is located
for a disposal authority certificate to dispose of the vehicle
or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler. The
application must provide, at a minimum, the person or entity's
name and address, the year, make, model, and identification
number of the vehicle or golf cart, if ascertainable, along with
any other identifying features, and must contain a concise
statement of the facts surrounding the abandonment. The person
or entity shall execute an affidavit stating that the facts
alleged are true and that no material fact has been withheld.
If the sheriff determines that the application is executed in
proper form, and the application demonstrates that the vehicle
or golf cart has been abandoned upon the person or entity's
property or into the person or entity's possession, the
notification procedures set forth in Section 56-5-5630 must be
followed. If the vehicle or golf cart is not reclaimed pursuant
to Section 56-5-5630, the sheriff shall give the applicant a
certificate of authority to dispose of the vehicle or golf cart
to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler. A disposal
authority certificate may contain multiple listings.
(3)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is
not required to obtain a certificate of title for the vehicle or
golf cart in the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's own
name. After the vehicle or golf cart has been demolished,
processed, or changed so that the vehicle or golf cart
physically is no longer a vehicle or golf cart, the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler shall surrender the sheriff's
disposal authority certificate to the Department of Motor
Vehicles.
(4)
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
shall design a uniform sheriff's disposal authority certificate
for purposes of this subsection and shall make the certificate
available for distribution to the sheriffs. The Department of
Motor Vehicles shall issue forms and regulations governing the
surrender of sheriffs' disposal authority certificates as
appropriate.
(5)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
sheriff's disposal authority certificate pursuant to this
subsection may wreck, dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose
of the vehicle or golf cart after the transaction has taken
place. The demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall report
the vehicle or golf cart to the National Motor Vehicle Title
Information System in compliance with federal laws and
regulations.
(D)(1) A
person or entity may dispose of a vehicle or golf cart to a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler without a title
certificate, magistrate's order of sale, or sheriff's disposal
authority certificate, if:
(a)
the vehicle or golf cart is abandoned upon the
person or entity's property or into the person or entity's
possession, or if the person or entity is the owner of the
vehicle or golf cart and the vehicle's or golf cart's title
certificate is faulty, lost, or destroyed; and
(b)
the vehicle or golf cart:
(i)
is lawfully in the person
or entity's possession;
(ii)
is twelve model years old or older;
(iii)
does not have a valid registration plate
affixed; and
(iv)
has no engine or is otherwise totally
inoperable.
(2)
The person or entity shall complete and sign a
form affirming that the vehicle or golf cart complies with the
requirements of subsection (D)(1). The demolisher or secondary
metals recycler shall maintain the original form affidavit in
the transaction records as required by this section.
(3)
The Department of Motor Vehicles shall develop a
form affidavit for purposes of this subsection and shall make
the form affidavit available for distribution to the demolishers
and secondary metals recyclers.
(4)
Prior to completion of the transaction, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall verify with the
Department of Motor Vehicles whether the vehicle or golf cart
has been reported stolen. The Department of Motor Vehicles
shall develop an electronic system for demolishers and secondary
metals recyclers to use to verify at the time of a transaction
whether a vehicle or golf cart has been reported stolen. The
Department of Motor Vehicles shall not charge a demolisher or
secondary metals recycler a fee for verifying whether a vehicle
or golf cart has been reported stolen. If the Department of
Motor Vehicles indicates to the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler that the vehicle or golf cart has been reported stolen,
the demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall not complete
the transaction and shall notify the appropriate law enforcement
agency. The demolisher or secondary metals recycler is under no
obligation to apprehend the person attempting to sell the
vehicle or golf cart. If the Department of Motor Vehicles
indicates to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler that
the vehicle or golf cart has not been reported stolen, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler may proceed with the
transaction. In such case, the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler is not criminally or civilly liable if the vehicle or
golf cart later turns out to be a stolen vehicle or golf cart,
unless the demolisher or secondary metals recycler had some
other knowledge that the vehicle or golf cart was a stolen
vehicle or golf cart.
(5)
The demolisher or secondary metals recycler
shall report the vehicle or golf cart to the National Motor
Vehicle Title Information System at the time of the transaction
or no later than the end of the day of the transaction. A
demolisher or secondary metals recycler who reports vehicles or
golf carts to the National Motor Vehicle Title Information
System through a third party consolidator complies with the
requirements of this subitem if the demolisher or secondary
metals recycler reports the vehicle or golf cart to the third
party consolidator so that the third party consolidator is able
to transmit the vehicle or golf cart information to the National
Motor Vehicle Title Information System no later than the end of
the day of the transaction.
(6)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler who
purchases or otherwise acquires a vehicle or golf cart with a
form affidavit pursuant to this subsection shall not wreck,
dismantle, demolish, or otherwise dispose of the vehicle or golf
cart until at least three business days after the transaction
has taken place.
(B)(E)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler
who purchases or otherwise acquires nonferrous metals, as
defined by Section 16-17-680, must
shall comply with and is subject to the provisions of
Section 16-17-680.
(C)(F)(1)
A demolisher or secondary metals recycler
shall keep an accurate and complete record of all vehicles or
golf carts and vehicle parts with a total weight of
twenty-five pounds or more purchased or received by
him the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler in the course of his business.
A demolisher, but not a secondary metals recycler, shall also
keep an accurate and complete record of all vehicle or golf cart
parts with a total weight of twenty-five pounds or more
purchased or received by the demolisher in the course of
business. These records shall must
contain, at a minimum:
(a)
the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's
name and address;
(b)
the name of the demolisher or secondary metals
recycler's employee entering the information;
(c)
the name and address of the person or entity
from whom the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf
cart parts, as applicable, were purchased or
received,;
(d)
a photo or copy of the person's driver's license or
other government issued picture identification card that legibly
shows the person's name and address,. If
the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart parts, as
applicable, are being purchased or received from an entity, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall obtain a photo or
copy of the entity's agent's driver's license or other
government issued picture identification card. If the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler has a photo or copy of
the person or entity's agent's identification on file, the
demolisher or secondary metals recycler may reference the
identification on file without making a photocopy for each
transaction;
(e)
the date when the purchases or receipts
occurred, and;
(f)
the year, make, model, and identification number of
the vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart
parts, as applicable and if ascertainable, along with any
other identifying features; and
(g)
a copy of the title certificate, magistrate's
order of sale, sheriff's disposal authority certificate, or an
original form affidavit, as applicable.
(2)
The records shall must be
kept open for inspection by any law enforcement officer
at any time during normal business hours. All vehicles or
golf carts on the demolisher or secondary metals recycler's
property or otherwise in the possession of the demolisher or
secondary metals recycler must be available for inspection by
any law enforcement officer at any time during normal business
hours.
(3)
Any record Records required
by this Section section
shall must be kept by the demolisher
or secondary metals recycler for at least one year after
the transaction to which it applies. A demolisher or
secondary metals recycler may maintain records in an electronic
database provided that the information is legible and can be
accessed by law enforcement upon request.
(D)(G)(1)
A person who violates the provisions of this
section for a first offense is guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five hundred
dollars for each offense not to exceed five thousand dollars for
the same set of transactions or occurrences, or imprisoned for
not more than sixty days, or both. Each violation constitutes a
separate offense. For a second or subsequent offense, the
person is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined
not more than one thousand dollars for each offense not to
exceed ten thousand dollars for the same set of transactions or
occurrences, or imprisoned for not more than three years, or
both. Each violation constitutes a separate offense.
(2)
A person who falsifies any information on an
application, form, or affidavit required by this section is
guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not less
than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars,
or imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than three
years, or both.
(3)
In lieu of criminal penalties, the Department of
Motor Vehicles' director may issue an administrative fine not to
exceed one thousand dollars for each violation, whenever the
director, or his designee, after a hearing, determines that a
demolisher or secondary metals recycler has unknowingly and
unwilfully violated any provisions of this section. The hearing
and any administrative review must be conducted in accordance
with the procedure for contested cases under the Administrative
Procedures Act. The proceeds from the administrative fine must
be placed by the Comptroller General into a special restricted
account to be used by the Department of Motor Vehicles to defray
the expenses of implementing this section.
(4)
A vehicle or golf cart used to transport a
vehicle or golf cart or vehicle or golf cart parts, as
applicable, illegally disposed of in violation of this section
may be seized by law enforcement and is subject to forfeiture;
provided, however, that no vehicle or golf cart is subject to
forfeiture unless it appears that the owner or other person in
charge of the vehicle or golf cart is a consenting party or
privy to the commission of the crime, and a forfeiture of the
vehicle or golf cart encumbered by a security interest is
subject to the interest of the secured party who had no
knowledge of or consented to the act. The seizure and
forfeiture must be accomplished in accordance with the
provisions of Section 56-29-50.
(H) The
Department of Motor Vehicles shall convene a working group
chaired by the Director of the Department of Motor Vehicles or
the director's designee for the purpose of assisting in the
development of a form affidavit to be used for the disposal of
vehicles or golf carts to demolishers or secondary metals
recyclers, the development of an electronic system for
demolishers and secondary metals recyclers to use to verify at
the time of a transaction whether a vehicle or golf cart has
been reported stolen, and assisting in the development of forms
and regulations pursuant to this section. The working group
must consist of representatives from the demolisher industry,
secondary metals recycling industry, law enforcement agencies,
and other relevant agencies, organizations, or industries as
determined by the director."
SECTION 7. Section 56-19-480(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(A) An owner who scraps, dismantles, destroys, or in any manner disposes to another, except to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler, as wreckage or salvage, a motor vehicle or golf cart otherwise required to be titled in this State immediately shall mail or deliver to the Department of Motor Vehicles the vehicle's or golf cart's certificate of title notifying the department to whom the vehicle or golf cart is delivered together with a report indicating the type and severity of any damage to the vehicle or golf cart. A person or entity who disposes of a vehicle or golf cart to a demolisher or secondary metals recycler shall provide the vehicle's or golf cart's title certificate to the demolisher or secondary metals recycler so that the demolisher or secondary metals recycler can surrender the title certificate to the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to Sections 56-5-5670 and 56-5-5945."
SECTION 8. Chapter 2, Title 56 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-2-105.
(A) For the purposes of this section,
'gated community' means any homeowners' community with at least
one controlled access ingress and egress which includes the
presence of a guard house, a mechanical barrier, or another
method of controlled conveyance.
(B) An individual or
business owner of a vehicle commonly known as a golf cart may
obtain a permit decal and registration from the Department of
Motor Vehicles upon presenting proof of ownership and financial
responsibility for the golf cart and upon payment of a five
dollar fee.
(1)
During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be
operated within four miles of the address on the registration
certificate and only on a secondary highway or street for which
the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less.
(2)
During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be
operated within four miles of a point of ingress and egress to a
gated community and only on a secondary highway or street for
which the posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or
less.
(3)
During daylight hours only, within four miles of the
registration holder's address, and while traveling along a
secondary highway or street for which the posted speed limit is
thirty-five miles an hour or less, a permitted golf cart may
cross a highway or street at an intersection where the highway
has a posted speed limit of more than thirty-five miles an
hour.
(4)
During daylight hours only, a permitted golf cart may be
operated along a secondary highway or street for which the
posted speed limit is thirty-five miles an hour or less on an
island not accessible by a bridge designed for use by
automobiles.
(D) A person operating
a permitted golf cart must be at least sixteen years of age and
hold a valid driver's license. The operator of a permitted golf
cart being operated on a highway or street must have in his
possession:
(1)
the registration certificate issued by the department;
(2)
proof of financial responsibility for the golf cart; and
(3)
his driver's license.
(E)(1) A golf cart
permit must be replaced with a new permit every five years, or
at the time the permit holder changes his address.
(2)
Golf cart owners holding golf cart permits on or before
October 1, 2012, will have until September 30, 2015, to obtain a
replacement permit.
(F) A political
subdivision may, on designated streets on roads within the
political subdivision's jurisdiction, reduce the area in which a
permitted golf cart may operate from four miles to no less than
two miles. However, a political subdivision may not reduce or
otherwise amend the other restrictions placed on the operation
of a permitted golf cart contained in this section.
(G) The provisions of
this section that restrict the use of a golf cart to certain
streets, certain hours, and certain distances shall not apply to
a golf cart used by a public safety agency in connection with
the performance of its duties."
SECTION 9. Section 56-3-115 and Section 56-5-5660 of the 1976 Code are repealed.
SECTION 10. The repeal or amendment by this act of any law, whether temporary or permanent or civil or criminal, does not affect pending actions, rights, duties, or liabilities founded thereon, or alter, discharge, release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under the repealed or amended law, unless the repealed or amended provision shall so expressly provide. After the effective date of this act, all laws repealed or amended by this act must be taken and treated as remaining in full force and effect for the purpose of sustaining any pending or vested right, civil action, special proceeding, criminal prosecution, or appeal existing as of the effective date of this act, and for the enforcement of rights, duties, penalties, forfeitures, and liabilities as they stood under the repealed or amended laws.
SECTION 11. Subsection (H) of Section 56-5-5670 of the 1976 Code as contained in SECTION 5 and subsection (H) of Section 56-5-5945 of the 1976 Code as contained in SECTION 6 take effect upon approval by the Governor. SECTION 8 and the repeal of Section 56-3-115 take effect on October 1, 2012. All other provisions of this act take effect one hundred eighty days after approval by the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.