Senate Transportation committee advances bills on towing data access, toll hearings, road and rail safety and abandoned vehicles

The Senate Transportation Committee on April 8 advanced five House bills that would change how towing companies access owner data, add public hearing requirements for toll increases by the Parkways Authority, expand rules for approaching stationary vehicles, allow title claims for abandoned vehicles of any value, and require drivers to stop for moving on-track railroad equipment.

The most detailed debate centered on engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 2571, which would require the Division of Motor Vehicles to make certain “personal information” available to West Virginia towing and recovery companies regulated by the Public Service Commission and to alter its services or create a portal by July 1, 2025. Counsel explained the statute’s existing definition of “personal information” by reference to a separate code section that lists a photograph, Social Security number, driver identification number, name, address (excluding five-digit ZIP code), telephone number and medical or disability information as examples. Committee counsel Mariah told senators that the bill would give towing companies access to information “in order to provide notice to the owners of towed or impounded vehicles.”

Committee members raised privacy concerns over including Social Security numbers and other sensitive data. Senator from Randolph offered and the committee adopted an amendment limiting the DMV disclosures, for the bill’s purposes, to name, address, telephone number and email address (if available). John Springer, director of vehicle services at the West Virginia DMV, told the committee that for vehicle requests the DMV currently provides name and address and does not provide Social Security numbers: “Not for vehicle requests, no.” Springer also said phone numbers or email addresses may become available if they have been provided to the DMV. After the amendment passed, the vice chair from Taylor moved that the engrossed committee substitute for House Bill 2571, as amended, be reported with a recommendation that it do pass; the motion was adopted and the bill was referred first to the Committee on Finance.

The committee…