Jun. 22, 2022
HARRISBURG – To address the problem of abandoned vehicles at auto auctions, the House today approved legislation by Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Altoona).
In some cases, dealers purchase vehicles at auction and then do not transport it to the dealerships by the required deadline, often due to the inability to resell the car, leaving it abandoned. Some wholesale vehicle auctions experience hundreds of vehicles being abandoned by dealers, taking up space where other vehicles could be stored.
“Having been a practicing attorney for decades, this is a problem that came across my desk a lot of times,” Schmitt said. “It is my hope
House Bill 2372 provides a solution to a little-known problem and will cut costs and hassle for all those involved.”
To address this decades-old problem, House Bill 2372 would allow a wholesale vehicle auction, or salvor, to remove vehicles that have been abandoned by dealers after three business days of the vehicle remaining without consent. The legislation would also authorize the auction to charge and collect storage fees, as well as the releasing or recovering costs.
Finally, my legislation would allow the auction to sell the vehicle and certify to PennDOT, for title processing purposes, that the vehicle was abandoned and that the title is being transferred and in effect, custodian, of the abandoned vehicle. This way, economic waste is avoided, and dealers are encouraged not to abandon their vehicles at auction.
House Bill 2372 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Lou Schmitt
79th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
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