Vehicle removal: expired registration.

Existing law prohibits a person from driving, moving, or leaving standing upon a highway, or in an offstreet public parking facility, any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole or pipe dolly or logging dolly, unless it is registered and the appropriate fees have been paid, except as specified. Existing law requires current month and year tabs indicating the month and year expiration of a vehicle's registration to be attached to the rear license plate assigned to the vehicle for the last preceding registration year in which the licensed plates were issued. Existing law requires a law enforcement officer or a person authorized to enforce parking laws and regulations to verify, using available Department of Motor Vehicles records, that no current registration exists for a vehicle before issuing a citation for a violation of the requirement to attach the appropriate tabs. Existing law prohibits the issuance of a citation against a vehicle in violation of that requirement if the vehicle has a current registration on file with the department or if a person authorized to enforce parking laws and regulations does not have immediate access to the department's records. Existing law authorizes a peace officer or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations to remove a vehicle that, among other things, is parked or left standing upon a highway for 72 or more consecutive hours in violation of a local ordinance authorizing removal or is found or operated upon a highway, public land, or an offstreet parking facility with a registration expiration date in excess of six months before the date it is found or operated. This bill would require a peace officer or a regularly employed and salaried employee who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations to verify, using available Department of Motor Vehicles records, that no current registration exists for a vehicle before removing the vehicle. The bill would prohibit a vehicle from being removed if it has a current registration on file with the department or if the officer or employee does not have immediate access to the department's records. By requiring a higher level of service from law enforcement officers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.