Subcommittee amends and advances House Bill 972 to change towing rules, permit regulated booting

The Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee on April 21, 2025 amended and unanimously approved House Bill 972, a cleanup to last year’s towing-related law that updates notice procedures, shortens a towing window and—through a committee amendment—permits regulated vehicle booting under state guidance.

Representative McCallman, who introduced House Bill 972, told the subcommittee the bill is “a clean up to our motion act from last year.” He said it “adds some clarifying language with regards to towing,” restores U.S. mail as an acceptable method for tow companies to notify customers if mailing occurs within three days, changes a towing window from 48 hours to 12 hours, and “clarifies situations in which a vehicle can be towed off of private property.”

The bill drew an amendment filed by Chairman Williams that the committee adopted before the final vote. Chairman Williams described the change as a targeted allowance for booting in limited circumstances, saying the original law “banned booting altogether, except for that by ordinance” and that the amendment would create a regulated state standard. He explained the amendment would require companies that use boots to meet a minimum standard that includes bonding, licensure and an electronic release mechanism so a boot can be removed remotely. Williams said the intent is to avoid forcing vehicle owners—especially people in downtown areas who may not have safe transportation options—into towing situations.

“My concern all along is that there would be consumers in downtown areas particularly where they might make a mistake… and someone like my daughter who's 21 would get her car booted in Downtown Nashville in an area that was not safe,” Williams said. He added that the electronic-release boots “would be able to utilize under statute [so] they would have an electronic means by which they would be able to remove the boot.”

Williams also noted the amendment would set a minimum fine associated with a boot at $75.

After discussion, the committee approved the amendment by voice vote and then adopted the amended bill on a roll call. The clerk reported 12 ayes, 0 noes; the chair announced, “The ayes do have it. House bill 9 72 moves to full finance.”

Discussion and questions during the hearing focused on the scope of the amendment and safety concerns for vehicle owners in urban areas. The committee record shows the amendment requires state-level guidance and company-level assurances (bond and licensure) but does not detail the specific licensing standards, bond amounts or the technical specifications of the electronic-release mechanism; those elements are to be set under state guidance per the amendment as described during the hearing.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 972 (as amended) — Cleans up towing law (restores U.S. mail notice within three days, shortens towing window from 48 to 12 hours, clarifies private-property towing); amendment permits regulated booting with bonding, licensure and electronic-release capability and sets a $75 minimum fine for booting — Committee outcome: Passed, 12-0; forwarded to full finance.

The subcommittee recessed after approving the bill and announced the full finance committee would begin at 2:50 p.m.