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Senate committee approves bill making vehicle-boot ban permanent and creating statewide towing portal
Summary
The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 1068, which makes a statewide ban on vehicle booting permanent, requires a motor vehicle portal for towed vehicles and updates private-property towing rules, including signage and information input requirements for towing companies.
NASHVILLE — The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 11 recommended passage of Senate Bill 1068 after adopting a committee amendment that revises private-property towing rules and codifies a statewide ban on vehicle booting.
The bill, explained to the committee by Senator Johnson (referred to in session as Leader Johnson), would make the prior temporary ban on booting permanent, create a statewide motor vehicle portal operated by the Department of Revenue, require towing companies to input tow information into that portal within one hour of taking possession of a vehicle, and standardize signage and fee disclosure for private lots.
Senator Johnson told the committee the measure grew from last year’s effort to regulate booting and towing and stakeholder negotiations with towing operators, parking operators and law enforcement. “We discovered there were a lot of things in existing code that were either outdated or inconsistent,” he said, and described the portal as a centralized digital platform allowing vehicle owners to locate a towed vehicle using a plate number or VIN.
The bill sets a July 1, 2026 target for the Department of Revenue to have the portal in place. David Giugano, Commissioner of Revenue, told the committee the department has begun procurement for the portal and intends to incorporate the bill’s requirements into that work. Courtney Swim, Chief of Staff to the commissioner, said the portal will consolidate statewide towing data and allow towing companies to submit detailed reports, and that the department will allow public access so vehicle owners can search for their vehicles.
The committee adopted a Finance Ways and Means amendment (Finance amendment 2 / drafting code referenced in the hearing) that revises signage requirements for private-property lots open to the public, including a requirement that signage display the name and telephone number of the garage keeper authorized to tow vehicles. The amendment also clarifies that, if no signage is posted, a private-property owner may immediately tow a vehicle that has been unattended for more than 12 hours, is creating a hazard, blocks access, or is parked illegally.
Committee members asked whether small or rural towing operators would be able to use the portal. Giugano and Swim indicated the portal procurement will address compatibility and that the committee expects the portal to be accessible via smartphone. Senator Rose and Senator Hale raised concerns about smaller operators’ access to the technology; Senator Johnson said stakeholders indicated confidence in using a smartphone for submissions.
The committee adopted the amendment and later voted to recommend the bill for passage to the calendar. The final committee roll call recorded the bill as passing by voice and a subsequent tally was announced as 11 ayes and no nays.
The bill now moves to the Senate calendar for further consideration; the department has been asked to finalize portal specifications during procurement to meet the statutory timeline.
Votes at a glance: The committee adopted the finance amendment and then advanced SB 1068 as amended to the calendar (final tally announced in committee: 11 ayes, 0 nays).
