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An Act To Amend the Auto Impoundment and Forfeiture Laws
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2421, sub-§6,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read:
 
6. Storage of seized motor vehicles.   A seized motor vehicle must be held in secure storage or immobilized by a wheel clamp or other immobilizing device by the seizing agency or at the direction of the prosecuting official until disposition of the underlying criminal charges. The State shall assume all costs of storage of a vehicle not forfeited.
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2422, sub-§2,  as enacted by PL 1997, c. 417, §1, is amended to read:
 
2. Storage.   If a motor vehicle is seized, it must be held in secure storage or immobilized by a wheel clamp or other immobilizing device by the seizing agency or at the direction of the arresting law enforcement officer.
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2422, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 1997, c. 417, §1, is amended to read:
 
3. Release of vehicle.   The motor vehicle may be released after at least an 8-hour period and payment of any towing, immobilization and storage fees.
 
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a law enforcement agency or officer to immobilize a motor vehicle with a wheel clamp or other immobilization device as part of the impoundment procedure when a driver has been arrested for an OUI or driving while under license suspension for OUI and requires the driver to pay any immobilization fee before regaining possession of the motor vehicle.