1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to motor vehicle forfeitures; creating a task 
  1.3             force to study the impacts of motor vehicle forfeiture 
  1.4             laws on vehicle owners and their families. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [STUDY OF MOTOR VEHICLE FORFEITURE LAWS.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE; ISSUES.] An 
  1.8   advisory task force is established to study the impact of the 
  1.9   motor vehicle forfeiture provisions contained in Minnesota 
  1.10  Statutes, chapters 169 and 609.  The task force shall examine 
  1.11  whether these forfeiture laws result in unfair and 
  1.12  disproportionate impacts on motor vehicle owners and their 
  1.13  families or on lienholders, depending on the value of the motor 
  1.14  vehicle forfeited, the amount of equity the owner has 
  1.15  accumulated in the vehicle, and the price at which the vehicle 
  1.16  was sold. 
  1.17     Subd. 2.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The task force consists of 11 
  1.18  members, appointed as follows: 
  1.19     (1) three members of the senate, at least one of whom is a 
  1.20  member of the minority caucus, appointed by the committee on 
  1.21  committees; 
  1.22     (2) three members of the house of representatives, at least 
  1.23  one of whom is a member of the minority caucus, appointed by the 
  1.24  speaker; 
  1.25     (3) the attorney general or a designee; 
  2.1      (4) two representatives of financial institutions or other 
  2.2   lenders that routinely finance motor vehicle purchases through 
  2.3   secured loans, appointed by the governor; 
  2.4      (5) one prosecutor, appointed by the governor; and 
  2.5      (6) one defense attorney, appointed by the governor. 
  2.6      Subd. 3.  [REPORT.] By January 15, 2000, the advisory task 
  2.7   force shall report its findings and legislative recommendations 
  2.8   to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house and 
  2.9   senate committees having jurisdiction over criminal justice and 
  2.10  financial institutions policy, and to the legislature in 
  2.11  accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 3.195. 
  2.12     Subd. 4.  [EXPIRATION.] This section expires March 1, 2000.