SCS/SB 177 - This act opens up salvage pool sales or salvage disposal sales to residents of the United States. Under current law, salvage pool sales or salvage disposal sales are only open to licensed salvage dealers and to persons from foreign countries who purchase salvage vehicles for export outside of the United States. The act also requires operators of salvage pool sales or subsequent purchasers, who sell nonrepairable vehicles to non-U.S. residents, to stamp the titles to such vehicles with the words "FOR EXPORT ONLY." The current law only assigns this duty to the seller of a nonrepairable vehicle. The act provides that a Missouri resident not holding a current salvage or dealers license may only purchase up to 3 vehicles for rebuilding or repairing purposes in any calendar year at salvage pools or salvage disposal sales in this state. In addition, no person described in this subsection shall purchase a vehicle with a junking certificate at a salvage pool or salvage disposal sale. In order to purchase a vehicle at a salvage pool or salvage disposal sale in this state, an unlicensed person may only purchase a vehicle at a salvage pool or salvage disposal sale if such person possesses a voucher or certificate issued by the department of revenue that certifies that the holder of such certificate is authorized to purchase a vehicle at such sales. The director of the Department of Revenue shall establish a system, no later than January 1, 2010, that allows unlicensed persons to obtain three vouchers or certificates annually. Such vouchers or certificates shall be designed in a manner to allow the director of revenue to keep track of each vehicle purchased by a person described in this subsection. The Department of Revenue may charge a fee for the issuance of such vouchers or certificates and such fee shall not exceed the costs associated with the issuance of the vouchers or certificates, the processing of such vouchers or certificates, and the administration of such system. The substitute also provides that any person who purchases a vehicle in violation of this subsection or who knowingly or intentionally produces, manufactures, sells, or otherwise uses a fraudulent document intended to serve as a voucher or certificate in order to purchase vehicles at salvage pool or salvage disposal sales in this state is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
STEPHEN WITTE