HB 717 Summary

• Defines "Department" as the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and establishes a $4 notification fee for lien applications submitted within 7 business days after vehicle or vessel storage.

• Removes the Department's authority to release insurance company information and requires towing-storage operators to submit written applications to the Department for notifications rather than relying on departmental records disclosures.

• Modifies notification requirements to specify that the Department shall notify owners and lienholders upon receipt of valid applications and fees, with timelines for vehicle sale set at 35 days for vehicles over 3 years old and 50 days for vehicles 3 years or newer.

• Establishes procedures for locating owners when initial identification fails, requiring towing operators to conduct physical searches and good faith efforts to determine ownership, then send sale notices to discovered parties.

• Requires public notice of vehicle or vessel sales to include vehicle identification numbers, hull numbers, and descriptions of make, model, and year, and changes cross-references in section 715.07 related to wrecker definitions.