GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2011
H D
HOUSE DRH70080-MA-14 (10/04)
Short Title: Run and You're Done. |
(Public) |
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Sponsors: |
Representatives Faircloth, Folwell, H. Warren, and Shepard (Primary Sponsors). |
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Referred to: |
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to provide for the seizure, forfeiture, and sale of motor vehicles used by defendants in felony cases involving speeding to elude arrest.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 20-28.3 reads as rewritten:
"§
20-28.3. Seizure, impoundment, forfeiture of motor vehicles for offenses
involving impaired driving while license revoked or without license and insurance.insurance,
and for felony speeding to elude arrest.
(a) Motor Vehicles
Subject to Seizure.Seizure for Impaired Driving Offenses. - A
motor vehicle that is driven by a person who is charged with an offense
involving impaired driving is subject to seizure if:
(1) At the time of the violation, the drivers license of the person driving the motor vehicle was revoked as a result of a prior impaired driving license revocation as defined in G.S. 20-28.2(a); or
(2) At the time of the violation:
a. The person was driving without a valid drivers license, and
b. The driver was not covered by an automobile liability policy.
For the purposes of this subsection, a person who has a complete defense, pursuant to G.S. 20-35, to a charge of driving without a drivers license, shall be considered to have had a valid drivers license at the time of the violation.
(a1) Motor Vehicles Subject to Seizure for Felony Speeding to Elude Arrest. - A motor vehicle is subject to seizure if it is driven by a person who is charged with the offense of felony speeding to elude arrest pursuant to G.S. 20-141.5(b).
(b) Duty of
Officer. - If the charging officer has probable cause to believe that a motor
vehicle driven by the defendant may be subject to forfeiture under this
section, the officer shall seize the motor vehicle and have it impounded. If
the officer determines prior to seizure that the motor vehicle had been
reported stolen, the officer shall not seize the motor vehicle pursuant to this
section. If the officer determines prior to seizure that the motor vehicle was
a rental vehicle driven by a person not listed as an authorized driver on the
rental contract, the officer shall not seize the motor vehicle pursuant to this
section, but shall make a reasonable effort to notify the owner of the rental
vehicle that the vehicle was stopped and that the driver of the vehicle was not
listed as an authorized driver on the rental contract. Probable cause may be
based on the officer's personal knowledge, reliable information conveyed by
another officer, records of the Division, or other reliable source.sources.
The seizing officer shall notify the executive agency designated under
subsection (b1) of this section Division as soon as practical but no
later than 24 hours after seizure of the motor vehicle of the seizure in
accordance with procedures established by the executive agency designated under
subsection (b1) of this section.
(b1) Written Notification of
Impoundment. - Within 48 hours of receipt within regular business hours of the
notice of seizure, an executive agency designated by the Governor shall
issue written notification of impoundment to the Division, the Division
shall issue written notification of impoundment to any lienholder of record
and to any motor vehicle owner who was not operating the motor vehicle at the
time of the offense. A notice of seizure received outside regular business
hours shall be considered to have been received at the start of the next
business day. The notification of impoundment shall be sent by first-class mail
to the most recent address contained in the Division's records. If the motor
vehicle is registered in another state, notice shall be sent to the address
shown on the records of the state where the motor vehicle is registered. This
written notification shall provide notice that the motor vehicle has been
seized, state the reason for the seizure and the procedure for requesting
release of the motor vehicle. Additionally, if the motor vehicle was damaged while
the defendant operator was committing an offense involving impaired driving while
the operator was committing an offense resulting in seizure or incident to
the seizure, the agency Division shall issue written notification
of the seizure to the owner's insurance company of record and to any other
insurance companies that may be insuring other motor vehicles involved in the
accident. The Division shall prohibit title to a seized motor vehicle from
being transferred by a motor vehicle owner unless authorized by court order.
…
(k) County Board of
Education Right to Appear and Participate in Proceedings. - The attorney for
the county board of education shall be given notice of all proceedings
regarding offenses involving impaired driving related to a motor vehicle
subject to forfeiture.forfeiture under this section. However, the
notice requirement under this subsection does not apply to proceedings
conducted under G.S. 20-28.3(e1). The attorney for the county board of
education shall also have the right to appear and to be heard on all issues
relating to the seizure, possession, release, forfeiture, sale, and other matters
related to the seized vehicle under this section. With the prior consent of the
county board of education, the district attorney may delegate to the attorney
for the county board of education any or all of the duties of the district
attorney under this section. Clerks of superior court, law enforcement
agencies, and all other agencies with information relevant to the seizure,
impoundment, release, or forfeiture of motor vehicles are authorized and
directed to provide county boards of education with access to that information
and to do so by electronic means when existing technology makes this type of
transmission possible.
(l) Payment
of Fees Upon Conviction. - If the driver of a motor vehicle seized pursuant to
this section is convicted of an offense involving impaired driving, of
the underlying offense leading to the seizure of a motor vehicle pursuant to
this section, the defendant shall be ordered to pay as restitution to the
county board of education, the motor vehicle owner, or the lienholder the cost
paid or owing for the towing, storage, and sale of the motor vehicle to the
extent the costs were not covered by the proceeds from the forfeiture and sale
of the motor vehicle. If the underlying offense is for felony speeding to
elude arrest pursuant to G.S. 20-141.5(b), and the conviction is based on
a plea agreement or a reduced charge to misdemeanor speeding to elude arrest
pursuant to G.S. 20-141.5(a), the defendant shall be ordered to pay as
restitution to the county board of education, the motor vehicle owner, or the
lienholder the cost paid or owing for the towing and storage of the motor
vehicle. In addition, a civil judgment for the costs under this section in
favor of the party to whom the restitution is owed shall be docketed by the clerk
of superior court. If the defendant is sentenced to an active term of
imprisonment, the civil judgment shall become effective and be docketed when
the defendant's conviction becomes final. If the defendant is placed on
probation, the civil judgment in the amount found by a judge during the
probation revocation or termination hearing to be due shall become effective
and be docketed by the clerk when the defendant's probation is revoked or
terminated.
…."
SECTION 2. G.S. 20-141.5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20-141.5. Speeding to elude arrest.
…
(f) Each law
enforcement agency shall adopt a policy applicable to the pursuit of fleeing or
eluding motorists. Each policy adopted pursuant to this subsection shall
specifically include factors to be considered by an officer in determining when
it is advisable to break off a chase to stop and apprehend a suspect. to
initiate or terminate a pursuit. The Attorney General shall develop a model
policy or policies to be considered for use by law enforcement agencies.
(g) If a person is convicted of a violation of subsection (b) of this section, the motor vehicle that was driven by the defendant at the time the defendant committed the offense of felony speeding to elude arrest becomes property subject to forfeiture in accordance with the procedure set out in G.S. 20-28.3. In applying the procedure set out in G.S. 20-28.3, an owner or a holder of a security interest is considered an innocent party with respect to a motor vehicle subject to forfeiture under this subsection if the defendant drove the motor vehicle without the consent of the owner or the holder of the security interest."
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective October 1, 2011, and applies to offenses committed on or after that date.