Committee approves broad rewrite of Idaho’s abandoned-vehicle law amid split testimony on predatory towing and enforcement

The Idaho House Transportation Committee voted to send House Bill 174 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation after lengthy public testimony and debate over how the bill would change towing, notice, and title procedures for abandoned or towed vehicles.

Representative Judy Boyle, the bill sponsor, described the measure as a “complete rewrite of the abandoned vehicles statute” that was developed over multiple years with sheriffs, law enforcement, tow companies, insurers and other stakeholders. Key provisions described in committee testimony include a new removal procedure, creation of an ITD-managed portal to enter tow information and automatically notify lienholders, a public list of authorized tows, posted towing rates for transparency, and a maximum storage limit of 60 days.

Sheriff Matt Clifford, representing the Idaho Sheriff’s Association, testified in support and said the rewrite “is a full repeal of old code” that modernizes and standardizes towing practices statewide. He told the…