South Carolina General Assembly
111th Session, 1995-1996

Bill 3306


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       3306
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19950118
Primary Sponsor:                   Simrill 
All Sponsors:                      Simrill and Meacham 
Drafted Document Number:           dka\3566cm.95
Companion Bill Number:             246
Residing Body:                     House
Date Tabled:                       19950214
Current Committee:                 Judiciary Committee 25 HJ
Subject:                           Motor vehicle confiscation



History


Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19950214  Tabled in Committee                      25 HJ
House   19950118  Introduced, read first time,             25 HJ
                  referred to Committee

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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-6240, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FORFEITURE, CONFISCATION, AND SALE OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR SUCH FORFEITURE UPON A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT, RATHER THAN A FOURTH OR SUBSEQUENT, VIOLATION OF DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION AND UPON A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT, RATHER THAN A FOURTH OR SUBSEQUENT, VIOLATION OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 56-5-6240 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 465 of 1992, is further amended to read:

"Section 56-5-6240. (A) In addition to the penalties for persons a person convicted of a fourth second or subsequent violation within the last five years of operating a motor vehicle while his license is canceled, suspended, or revoked (DUS), or a fourth second or subsequent violation within the last ten years of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs (DUI), the persons person must have the motor vehicle they he drove during this offense forfeited if the offender is the owner of record, or a resident of the household of the owner of record under the terms and conditions as provided in subsections (B) and (C) and must be confiscated by the arresting officer or other another law enforcement officer of that agency at the time of arrest, which officer shall deliver it immediately to the sheriff or chief of police of the jurisdiction where the motor vehicle was seized or his authorized agent who by certified mail shall notify the registered owner of the confiscation within seventy-two hours. Upon notification of the confiscation, the registered owner has ten days to request a hearing before the presiding judge of the judicial circuit or his designated hearing officer within ten days from the date of receipt of the request. The vehicle must be returned to the owner of record if he can show by a preponderance of the evidence that (1) the use of the vehicle was not either expressly or impliedly authorized, or (2) the owner of record did not know that the driver had no valid license. Forfeiture of a vehicle is subordinate in priority to all valid liens.

The sheriff or chief of police in possession of the vehicle shall provide notice by certified mail of the confiscation to all lienholders of record within ten days of the confiscation.

(B) Upon the conviction of the person driving the vehicle, or upon his plea of guilty or nolo contendere to these offenses, the sheriff or chief of police shall initiate an action in the Circuit Court of the county in which the vehicle was seized to accomplish forfeiture by giving notice to owners of record, lienholders of record, and other persons claiming an interest in the vehicle subject to forfeiture and by giving these persons an opportunity to appear and show why the vehicle should not be forfeited and disposed of as provided for by this section. Failure of a person claiming an interest in the vehicle to appear at the above proceeding after having been given notice constitutes a waiver of the claim; however, the failure to appear does not in any way alter or affect the claim of a lienholder of record. The court, after hearing, shall order that the vehicle be forfeited to the sheriff or chief of police and sold in the manner provided in this section, or returned to the owner of record. The court shall order a vehicle returned to the owner of record if it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) the use of the vehicle on the occasion of arrest was not either expressly or impliedly authorized, or (2) the owner of record did not know that the driver had no valid driver's license. Otherwise, the court shall order the vehicle forfeited. Forfeiture of a vehicle is subordinate in priority to all valid liens and encumbrances.

(C) If the person fails to file an appeal within ten days after the conviction, the forfeited vehicle is considered abandoned and must be disposed of as provided by Section 56-5-5640. However, if the fair market value of the vehicle is less than five hundred dollars, it must be sold as scrap to the highest bidder after first receiving at least two bids."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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