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.