The Florida Senate

324.202  Seizure of motor vehicle license plates by recovery agents.--

(1)  The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall implement a pilot project in Broward County, Dade County, and Hillsborough County to determine the effectiveness of using recovery agents for the seizure of license plates. On October 1, 1996, the department shall provide a report to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, the chair of the House Insurance Committee, and the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, on the results of the pilot project. Licensed recovery agents and recovery agencies as described in s. 493.6101(20) and (21) may seize license plates of motor vehicles whose registrations have been suspended pursuant to s. 316.646 or s. 627.733 in such counties upon compliance with this section and rules of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

(2)  The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall:

(a)  Provide a procedure for the payment of fees to recovery agents or recovery agencies who seize license plates pursuant to this section. This procedure shall include the development and distribution of forms and monthly renewal notices, including the name and most current address available to the department of persons not in compliance with s. 316.646 or s. 627.733, which shall be used by the seizing recovery agent or recovery agency to transmit the seized license plate to the local law enforcement agency pursuant to s. 324.201.

(b)  Provide a method for the payment of the fee in s. 627.733(7) to the recovery agent or recovery agency seizing the license plate pursuant to this section. The requirements with respect to payment must provide that when the owner or operator whose driver's license has been suspended under s. 316.646 or s. 627.733 pays the reinstatement fee to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the department shall pay the recovery agent.

History.--s. 4, ch. 95-202; s. 12, ch. 97-100.