By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 908 99S0511/1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the award of abandoned vehicles and vessels to 1-2 government agencies. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Article 47.01a, Code of Criminal 1-5 Procedure, is amended to read as follows: 1-6 (b) If it is shown in a hearing that probable cause exists 1-7 to believe that the property was acquired by theft or by another 1-8 manner that makes its acquisition an offense and that the identity 1-9 of the actual owner of the property cannot be determined, the court 1-10 shall order the peace officer to: 1-11 (1) deliver the property to a government agency for 1-12 official purposes, and if the property is property subject to 1-13 Chapter 501, Transportation Code, or a watercraft or an outboard 1-14 motor, the government agency may take title free and clear of all 1-15 liens and claims of ownership, provided notice of the hearing under 1-16 this chapter has been sent by certified mail not less than 10 days 1-17 prior to the date of the hearing to the last known registered owner 1-18 of the property subject to Chapter 501, Transportation Code, or the 1-19 watercraft or outboard motor, and each lienholder recorded under 1-20 Chapter 501, Transportation Code, for property subject to that 1-21 chapter, or under Chapter 31, Parks and Wildlife Code, for a 1-22 watercraft or an outboard motor; 1-23 (2) deliver the property to a person authorized by 1-24 Article 18.17 of this code to receive and dispose of the property; 2-1 or 2-2 (3) destroy the property. 2-3 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.