05/04/2007 01:30 PM Senate JUDICIARY

           SB 145-MUNIS IMPOUND/FORFEIT MOTOR VEHICLE                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:50:15 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR FRENCH announced  the consideration of SB  145. Noting that                                                               
the bill  sponsor, Senator McGuire,  is not  able to be  here, he                                                               
stated  that in  discussions  with Department  of  Labor and  the                                                               
municipality  it  was  decided  to drop  the  language  regarding                                                               
accessing those records. Removing Section  1 brings the bill back                                                               
to  its original  form, which  is \A.  He noted  that the  change                                                               
eliminates  the fiscal  note  from the  Department  of Labor.  He                                                               
asked for a motion to adopt Version \A.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:51:02 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI  motioned to  adopt Version  \A for  SB 145,                                                               
labeled 25-LS0807\A, as the working document.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH explained the bill  allows municipalities to provide                                                               
for  the impoundment  or forfeiture  of a  motor vehicle  used by                                                               
someone who  has $1,000 or  more in delinquent traffic  fines for                                                               
violations committed  within the  municipality. The car  would be                                                               
put in  a place and held  until the fines are  satisfied and then                                                               
it  would be  returned  to the  owner. It's  a  mechanism to  put                                                               
downward pressure  on the  scoff laws that  were mentioned  at an                                                               
earlier  hearing. Hopefully  this  will lead  to collecting  more                                                               
money from unpaid fines and take care of the problem that way.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI commented that this  is a good bill and he's                                                               
pleased that the provision has been removed.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT asked  if he  intends to  have the  committee                                                               
issue a zero fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH asked Ms. Scovera to comment.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
PAULA  SCOVERA,  Special  Assistant,   Department  of  Labor  and                                                               
Workforce  Development, said  the department  had drafted  a zero                                                               
fiscal  note and  would  issue it  when the  bill  passes in  its                                                               
original version.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH  found no  further questions  or comments  and asked                                                               
for a motion.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:53:04 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI motioned to report  SB 145, Version \A, from                                                               
committee  with  individual  recommendations. He  noted  the  new                                                               
fiscal note is forthcoming.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR FRENCH announced  that without objection SB  145 moves from                                                               
committee.