South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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Bill 427

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 56-5-2522, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE PROCEDURE FOR THE DISPOSAL OF A VEHICLE OR OBJECT THAT IS DIRECTED TO BE TOWED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ACCRUAL OF ADDITIONAL STORAGE CHARGES AFTER NOTICE IS MAILED TO THE OWNER OR LIEN HOLDER, TO PROVIDE THAT A VEHICLE TOWED AT THE DIRECTION OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND STORED IN THE POSSESSION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY MAY BE SOLD BY THE AGENCY THAT HAD IT TOWED, AND TO PROVIDE THAT A VEHICLE TOWED AT THE DIRECTION OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND STORED BY THE TOWING COMPANY MAY BE SOLD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 29-25-10.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 56-5-2522(C) of the 1976 Code, last amended by Act 348 of 2002, is amended to read:

"(C)    A proprietor, owner, and or operator of a storage place, garage, or towing service, which has towed and stored a vehicle or object at the direction of a law enforcement officer, has a lien against the vehicle or object and its contents, and may have the vehicle or object and its contents sold at public auction. Storage costs can be charged for a period not to exceed sixty days after which the owner, lienholder of record, or both, must be notified of all current charges and additional storage costs that have accrued on the date a certified notice is mailed. Additional storage costs may be charged after the date of mailing of a certified notice. Fifteen days after the notice is mailed, the vehicle or object and its contents must be considered abandoned and sold by the sheriff, or his designee, or chief of police, or his designee, as provided by Section 56-5-5640 when the vehicle is stored in the possession of the law enforcement agency that had it towed. When the vehicle is stored in the possession of a towing company that towed the vehicle at the direction of law enforcement, then the vehicle or object may be sold in accordance with Section 29-15-10."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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