07 LC
25 4612
Senate
Bill 27
By:
Senators Johnson of the 1st and Chapman of the 3rd
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 52-7-71 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to removal and storage of vessels and procedures therefor, so as to provide for
revocation of certificates of number for abandoned vessels which have not been
redeemed; to prohibit issuing new certificates of number or motor vehicle
registrations for abandoned vessels that have not been redeemed; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 52-7-71 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to removal
and storage of vessels and procedures therefor, is amended by revising
subsection (e) as follows:
"(e)(1)
If the owner fails to redeem such vessel as described in subsection (d) of this
Code section, or if a vessel being repaired by a repair facility or being stored
by an insurance company providing insurance to cover damages to the vessel
becomes abandoned, the person removing or storing such vessel shall, within
seven calendar days of the day such vessel became an abandoned vessel, give
notice in writing, by sworn statement, to the Department of Natural Resources
and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, stating the vessel registration number,
the license number, the fact that such vessel is an abandoned vessel, the model,
year, and make of the vessel, if known or if readily ascertainable, the date the
vessel became an abandoned vessel, the date the vessel was removed, and the
present location of such vessel and requesting the name and address of all
owners, lessors, lessees, security interest holders, and lienholders of such
vessel.
(2)
If the owner fails to redeem such vessel as described in subsection (d) of this
Code section, any certificate of number issued under Article 1 of this chapter
for such vessel shall be revoked, and the owner of the vessel shall not be
issued any new certificate of number for any vessel nor any new motor vehicle
registration in this state until all fees connected with removal and storage of
the vessel have been paid or a lien acquired under Code Section 52-7-73 for such
fees has been satisfied. The department shall transmit such information as is
necessary to the Department of Revenue for purposes of enforcement of this
paragraph with respect to motor vehicle registrations.
(3)
If a person removing or storing the vessel has knowledge of facts which
reasonably indicate that the vessel is registered or titled in a certain other
state, such person shall check the vessel records of that other state in the
attempt to ascertain the identity of the owner of the vessel."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.