Pennsylvania HB 593: An Act amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further providing for notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles, for authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles and for processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 601 PRINTER'S NO. 2028
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 593
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY NEILSON, BENHAM, SANCHEZ, GREINER, HILL-EVANS,
JAMES, GIRAL, KHAN, McANDREW, KUZMA, GALLAGHER, GREEN,
McNEILL AND HANBIDGE, FEBRUARY 12, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 25, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in abandoned vehicles and cargos, further providing
for notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles,
for authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles and for
processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 7305(a) and (c), 7307 and 7309(a) and
(b) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are
amended to read:
SECTION 1. SECTION 7305(A) AND (C) OF TITLE 75 OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES ARE AMENDED AND THE SECTION
IS AMENDED BY ADDING SUBSECTIONS TO READ:
§ 7305. Notice to owner and lienholders of abandoned vehicles.
(a) General rule.--The department upon receipt of an
abandoned vehicle information report shall, within 10 business
days, notify by certified mail, return receipt requested, the
last known registered owner of the vehicle and all lienholders
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of record that the vehicle is being held as abandoned.
* * *
(c) Notice by publication.--If the identity of the last
registered owner and of all lienholders cannot be determined
with reasonable certainty, the contents of the notice set forth
in subsection (b) shall be published one time in one newspaper
of general circulation in the area where the vehicle was
abandoned[.] within 10 business days of the date that the
department determines a registered owner and lienholders cannot
be determined with reasonable certainty. The notice may contain
multiple listings of abandoned vehicles. Notice by publication
locally shall be the responsibility of the salvor. The notice
shall have the same effect as notice sent by certified mail.
(D) ADDITIONAL NOTICE.--IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF
SUBSECTION (C), A SALVOR MAY PUBLISH AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE
NOTICE UNDER SUBSECTION (C) ON THE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET
WEBSITE OF THE NEWSPAPER UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OR ANY OTHER
PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE INTERNET WEBSITE THAT HAS THE PRIMARY
PURPOSE OF POSTING ADVERTISEMENTS OR NOTICES.
(E) FAILURE TO PUBLISH.--IF WRITTEN NOTICE IS NOT TIMELY
PUBLISHED IN A NEWSPAPER UNDER SUBSECTION (C), NOTICE UNDER
SUBSECTION (D) SHALL BE VALID ON THE DATE OF PUBLICATION UNDER
SUBSECTION (D), IF ANY. NOTICE UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL
SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (C).
SECTION 2. SECTIONS 7307 AND 7309(A) AND (B) OF TITLE 75 ARE
AMENDED TO READ:
§ 7307. Authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles.
The department shall, after the expiration of 30 days from
the date of notice sent by certified mail to the registered
owner and all lienholders of record or 30 days after publication
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of notice, where applicable, and upon receipt of a written
statement from the holder of the vehicle that the abandoned
vehicle has not been reclaimed by the owner or lienholder within
the 30-day period, authorize the disposal of the abandoned
vehicle in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The
department shall process the authorization for the disposal of
the abandoned vehicle within 10 business days of receipt of the
written statement from the holder of the vehicle.
§ 7309. Processing of nonrepairable or salvage vehicles.
(a) Application for certificate of salvage.--If an abandoned
vehicle is a salvage or nonrepairable vehicle as deemed by a
police officer and salvor, the salvor and the police officer
shall note that fact in the report to the department required in
section 7304 (relating to reports to department of possession of
abandoned vehicles) and shall apply for issuance of a
certificate of salvage or nonrepairable vehicle as provided for
in Subchapter D of Chapter 11 (relating to salvage vehicles,
theft vehicles, reconstructed vehicles and flood vehicles). The
application shall be approved or denied by the department within
10 business days of receipt of the application if the
requirements of sections 7305 (relating to notice to owner and
lienholders of abandoned vehicles) and 7307 (relating to
authorization for disposal of unclaimed vehicles) have been met.
(b) Notice and issuance of certificate.--If the identity of
the last registered owner cannot be determined with reasonable
certainty and it is impossible to determine with reasonable
certainty the identity and addresses of any lienholder, no
notice shall be required. Under such circumstances, the
department shall upon receipt of the report by the salvor
pursuant to section 7304 review the report within 10 business
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