House Judiciary Committee reviews bill to cap towing and protect victims of stolen vehicles

The House Judiciary Committee on May 20 heard testimony on H.346, a bill that would set caps on towing and storage charges for abandoned vehicles and limit financial liability for people who reported their cars stolen to law enforcement.

The legislation would set a maximum towing fee for private-property tows at $130 or $4.50 per mile, whichever is greater, cap storage charges at no more than $35 per day, and — if a person has timely reported the vehicle stolen to law enforcement — bar assessment of towing or storage charges that accrue before seven days after a second notification is mailed to the registered owner, according to Damien Leonard of the Office of Legislative Counsel.

Committee members and witnesses said the bill seeks to help crime victims who find themselves saddled with large towing and storage bills after a vehicle is stolen, while creating a working group to study reimbursement for towers and municipalities and recommend funding sources.

"If the motor vehicle has been reported as stolen to an appropriate law enforcement agency ... the department would, within 3 business days ... send notice to the registered owner," Leonard said in a bill overview. He explained the department would send a second notice if the first was not returned, and storage fees would not start to accrue until seven days after that second notice.…