04/22/2021 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

            SB 76-ABANDONED VEHICLES; PRIVATE PROPERTY                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:49:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER announced the  consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 76                                                                 
"An Act relating to vehicles abandoned on private property."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
He asked  the sponsor  if he  would like to  speak to  the bill                                                                 
before the committee hears public testimony.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:49:31 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KIEHL, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor                                                                
of  SB 76,  recapped that  SB 76  shortens  the time  a private                                                                 
property  owner has  to  store  an abandoned  vehicle  on their                                                                 
private property  before they  can begin  the legal  process to                                                                 
remove the vehicle.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER  asked him remind  the public how  long a property                                                                 
owner has to wait to begin the process.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL answered  that the property owner  must leave the                                                                 
vehicle on their property for 6 months before they can begin the                                                                
legal  process. SB  76 shortens  the initial  wait time  to one                                                                 
month.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SHOWER   highlighted  that  abandoned  vehicles   are  a                                                                 
significant problem in many areas of the state.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:51:00 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER opened public testimony on SB 76.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:51:30 PM                                                                                                                    
ALEC MESDAG,  Director, Energy Services,  Alaska Electric Light                                                                 
and Power  (AELP), Juneau, Alaska,  stated that he  manages the                                                                 
properties held  by AJT Mining  Properties Inc., a land-holding                                                                 
sister company of  AEL&P. This company owns property throughout                                                                 
Juneau and for the last several years has had to deal with about                                                                
one  abandoned  vehicle  per  month,   many  of  which  are  an                                                                 
environmental and health hazard. The  company has the option of                                                                 
leaving the vehicle  in place for six  months, which creates an                                                                 
eyesore and strains  relationships with adjacent landowners, or                                                                 
pay to tow  the vehicle to a secure lot  and pay again later to                                                                 
tow  it for  disposal. He  said  reducing the  initial required                                                                 
holding time would lessen the burden of managing these vehicles.                                                                
He thanked the  committee and expressed appreciation to Senator                                                                 
Kiehl for introducing the bill.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER asked Senator Kiehl if he had any final comments.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL thanked  the chair for hearing the  bill a second                                                                 
time.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:53:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR SHOWER closed public testimony on SB 76.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KAWASAKI asked the  sponsor to describe the process for                                                                 
notifying the owner of record of an abandoned vehicle.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL explained  that the property owner  must wait six                                                                 
months after which they can send a certified letter with return                                                                 
receipt to the  vehicle owner giving the  individual 30 days to                                                                 
move the vehicle. If the vehicle owner does nothing during that                                                                 
time, the  property owner then  may file  the appropriate forms                                                                 
with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to transfer the title.                                                                
Once  DMV  has  completed  the  paperwork, the  property  owner                                                                 
receives the title and may dispose of the vehicle.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SHOWER  found  no  further  questions  or  comments  and                                                                 
solicited the will of the committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:55:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HOLLAND moved to  report SB 76, work order 32-LS0005\A,                                                                 
from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached                                                                 
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SHOWER found no objection and SB 76 moved from the Senate                                                                 
State Affairs Standing Committee.