Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §1854, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

4.__No record.__If the Secretary of State finds no record of the vehicle, the owner of the premises where the vehicle is located may seek ownership of the vehicle under section 1856.

Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §1855, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

2. Contents; demand. The notice must clearly describe the vehicle and must give the vehicle's location and the charges for towing, storage fee and authorized repair work. The notice must state that if the owner or lienholder has does not properly retrieved retrieve the vehicle and paid pay all reasonable charges for towing, storage and authorized repair work within 14 days of upon receipt of the notice, ownership of the vehicle will pass to the owner of the premises where the vehicle is located. The person providing the notice is not required to include in the notice written authorization for the repairs signed by the customer or documentation of the date of completion of any authorized repair work.

Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §1855, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is repealed.

Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §1856, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:

1. Evidence of compliance. A person who has complied with section 1854 or 1855 shall present evidence of compliance to the Secretary of State immediately after the 14-day notice period. The Secretary of State may not issue a letter of ownership or certificate of title until at least 30 days after the date on which the person first has possession of and control over the vehicle.

SUMMARY

This bill eliminates current provisions in law pertaining to abandoned vehicles. The bill removes requirements for publishing a notice if the owner of an abandoned vehicle is unknown and waiting 14 days before seeking a change in ownership from the Secretary of State. It also deletes a requirement for sending notice by certified mail to a known owner of an abandoned