Sponsor Statement for HB 222

House Bill 222 is an act relating to abandoned, wrecked, or junk vehicles.

HB 222 would give local governments more tools to work with when impounding and disposing of wrecked or junk vehicles. The Municipality of Anchorage has placed the passage of such legislation on its 1997 Legislative Program as an issue that needs to be addressed. The number of vehicles abandoned on streets and highways has become and is a problem for local governments. These vehicles, besides being an eyesore, can be a possible traffic or health risk. Such vehicles are usually not properly registered and tracing the owner can be difficult.

It is expensive for local governments, and citizens of those governments, to remove wrecked or junk vehicles can be formidable. The Municipality of Anchorage removes more than 1,000 such vehicles from municipal and state rights-of-way each year. The cost to the Municipality of Anchorage to remove such vehicles is approximately $126,000.

House Bill 222 would provide the following benefits to local governments:

• Expedite removal of junk vehicles from streets and rights-of-way
• Reduce holding time and decrease processing time for junk vehicles.
• Assist in reducing the number of junk vehicles which are sold through auction and often re-deposited on the streets and rights-of-way.

House Bill 222 would make it easier for local governments to remove junk vehicles from streets and rights-of-way. The provisions of HB 222 would save money, allow municipal programs in this area to be more effective, and help make our roadways safer.

Your support of this measure would be appreciated.

ED 1:4/14/97