Existing law: (1) authorizes certain persons and law enforcement agencies to request the removal of a vehicle that has been abandoned on public or private property; and (2) requires the person who requests such a removal to inquire into whether the vehicle was stolen and the identity of the vehicle's owner. (NRS 487.230, 487.235) Existing law requires a person who removed an abandoned vehicle to notify the registered owner and any person having a security interest in the vehicle by registered or certified mail that the vehicle has been removed and will be junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of unless the owner or the person having the security interest responds and pays the costs of removal. (NRS 487.250) Existing law additionally requires a tow operator to notify the registered and legal owner of a vehicle if the vehicle was towed and placed in storage at the request of someone other than the owner or the owner's authorized agent. (NRS 706.4479) Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a junk certificate to a tow operator or automobile wrecker for a vehicle that: (1) has been discarded or abandoned; (2) has been ruined, wrecked, dismantled or rendered inoperative; (3) is unfit for further use in accordance with the vehicle's original purpose; (4) is unregistered or is not reclaimed by the registered owner or person having a security interest in the vehicle within a certain period of time; and (5) has value principally as scrap which does not exceed $200. (NRS 487.260) Section 4 of this bill increases the value of a vehicle for which a junk certificate may be issued to include a vehicle which has value principally as scrap which does not exceed $500. Section 4 authorizes the Department to issue a junk certificate for a vehicle that is appraised as a junk vehicle by an automobile wrecker or tow operator in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Department. Sections 1 and 2 of this bill authorize certain persons, with respect to an abandoned, unregistered vehicle which appears likely to be appraised as a junk vehicle and for which the identity of the owner is not known or readily ascertainable, to affix to the vehicle a notice that if the abandoned vehicle is not removed from the public or private property within 7 days, the vehicle is subject to being junked, dismantled or otherwise disposed of. Sections 1 and 2 require the notice to include certain information, including that the owner of the vehicle may request an expedited hearing in the local justice court to contest the classification of the vehicle as an abandoned junk vehicle. If the notice is affixed to certain unregistered vehicles which are appraised as junk vehicles, sections 1-5 of this bill excuse the person or law enforcement agency that authorized the removal of the vehicle and the tow operator who removed the vehicle from other provisions requiring such persons to make inquiries into the identity of the owner of the vehicle and provide the owner with certain notice regarding the removal of the vehicle. Section 4 requires the person or law enforcement agency that authorized the removal of the vehicle to provide the contact information of the automobile wrecker or tow operator who removed the vehicle if contacted by the vehicle's owner. Existing law prohibits a law enforcement agency that maintains and uses a list of tow cars which are called by that agency to provide towing from including an operator of a tow car on that list unless the operator meets certain requirements. Existing law prohibits the Nevada Highway Patrol from removing an operator of a tow car from the list used by the Nevada Highway Patrol solely on the ground that the operator is insured under the same policy of insurance as one other operator of a tow car who is included on the list and operates in the same geographical area. (NRS 706.4485) Section 6 of this bill: (1) expands the applicability of this prohibition to all law enforcement agencies; and (2) prohibits an operator of a tow car from using any software, device or other means to falsely report the location of the operator or tow car to a law enforcement agency or any agent of a law enforcement agency for the purpose of securing a request from the law enforcement agency to provide towing services. Section 6 requires a law enforcement agency to remove an operator of a tow car from the list used by the law enforcement agency for 1 year if the operator violates that prohibition.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 487.230, 487.235, 487.250, 487.260, 706.4479, 706.4485
Reprint 1: 487.230, 487.235, 487.250, 487.260, 706.4479, 706.4485
BDR: 487.230, 487.235, 487.250, 487.260, 706.4479, 706.4485