HB 222 ABANDONED,WRECKED,OR JUNK VEHICLES  Number 280 CHAIRMAN WARD announced that CSHB 222(TRA)am was the next order of business before the committee. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG , Prime Sponsor, explained that HB 222 would provide local governments with an extra tool in which to dispose or impound wrecked or junked vehicles. Representative Rokeberg emphasized that ability only refers to vehicles on public property, except without the consent of the owner - for example a parking lot. A number of vehicles are abandoned on the streets and highways which is a problem with regard to safety and traffic. Often, such vehicles are not properly registered and are difficult to trace. For example in the Municipality of Anchorage, there are more than 1,000 vehicles each year that must be dealt with which result in a cost of $126,000. HB 222 provides for the expedited removal of junk vehicles from streets and rights-of-way. HB 222 would also provide a reduction in the holding time and processing time for junk vehicles from 30 days to 15 days. HB 222 would assist in reducing the number of junk vehicles which are sold through auction and often end up back on the streets. HB 222 would also allow that titled, but not registered vehicles could be auctioned. HB 222 would allow municipalities to establish ordinances to deal with junked vehicles. Representative Rokeberg informed the committee that the Municipality of Anchorage, the City & Borough of Ketchikan, the Alaska Municipal League, and the Alaska Tow Truck Association support HB 222. SENATOR GREEN asked if this is in a municipality. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG replied yes. Representative Rokeberg explained that HB 222 makes some changes to existing state statute which has hindered the municipality's ability to deal with junked vehicles. This legislation was requested by the Municipality of Anchorage and a number of recommendations were dealt with from the City & Borough of Ketchikan. SENATOR HALFORD wanted to ensure that the new definition of "junked vehicle" did not describe the car Senator Halford drove everyday. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG pointed out that a vehicle cannot be left in a public right-of-way for longer than 24 hours. Representative Rokeberg noted that the committee packet included a letter from a Ketchikan attorney which indicates that in Ketchikan people seem to like to do car repairs on the side of the road. Those people move their car two feet forward one night and two feet backward the next in order that the car is not considered unattended. Therefore, the language "reasonably appears to be abandoned" was added to accommodate that situation. Representative Rokeberg believed that Senator Halford should not have a problem with his vehicle unless the vehicle had broken glass. SENATOR HALFORD said that what is being done with HB 222 is not a problem, however Senator Halford wanted to ensure that the definition did not apply to anything else. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG said that was not his understanding. SENATOR GREEN moved to report CSHB 222(TRA)am out of committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. Without objection, it was so ordered.