Public Act 493 of 2004

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• Introduced by Rep. Ken Daniels (D) on December 10, 2003, to establish that it is a civil infraction to abandon a vehicle on a road or private property, and provide expedited procedures authorizing law enforcement agencies and property owners to dispose of abandoned vehicles and making the last registered owner of the vehicle liable for the costs. The bill authorizes fines of up to $300 for violations.
  • Referred to the House Transportation Committee on December 10, 2003.
  • Reported in the House on May 18, 2004, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on June 24, 2004. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on June 24, 2004.
  • Substitute offered by Rep. Ken Daniels (D) on June 24, 2004, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises various details of the abandoned vehicle towing and notification procedures, and lowers the fine from $300 to $100. The substitute would establish that to no longer be liable for a transferred vehicle that is later abandoned, an owner would have to either go with the buyer to a Secretary of State office to assure the title is transferred, or maintain a photocopy of the reassigned title or a Secretary of State form for at least three years. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on June 24, 2004.
• Passed 102 to 1 in the House on June 24, 2004, to establish that it is a civil infraction to abandon a vehicle on a road or private property, and provide expedited procedures authorizing law enforcement agencies and property owners to dispose of abandoned vehicles and making the last registered owner of the vehicle liable for the costs. The bill authorizes fines of up to $100 for violations.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on June 29, 2004.
  • Referred to the Senate Transportation Committee on June 29, 2004.
    • Reported in the Senate on October 7, 2004, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on December 8, 2004, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises many details. See Senate-passed bill for details. The substitute passed by voice vote in the Senate on December 8, 2004.
• Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2004, to require a person who sells a vehicle either to accompany the purchaser to a Secretary of State (SOS) branch office to ensure transfer of the title, or maintain a record of sale for at least 18 months, in order to avoid liability for subsequent abandonment of the vehicle. Also, to provide that a towing service could not be precluded from recovery of towing or storage fees from an abandoned or removed vehicle's last owner, and cap the amount of storage fees that could be collected. Also, to require a private property owner to post a notice indicating that unauthorized vehicles would be towed away at the owner's expense, before authorizing the towing or removal of a vehicle.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the House on December 9, 2004, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. Passed 96 to 1 in the House on December 9, 2004.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on December 27, 2004.