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Clean-up bill tightens towing lien language as operators warn of unpaid cargo, trucking industry raises consumer and safety concerns
Summary
Senate Bill 113 would clarify which items are exempt from tow-and-storage liens to help tow operators recover unpaid bills on commercial loads. Tow companies cited high unpaid rates and disposal costs; trucking industry witnesses warned of unintended consequences for perishable cargo and privacy of records.
Senate Bill 113, presented by Senator Mike Yakawich, is billed as a cleanup of towing and storage lien exemptions intended to make clear which types of food, consumer goods and records are exempt from liens. Yakawich said the change aims to ensure tow operators are fairly paid when they recover cargo from wrecks or abandoned loads.
Scott Wolf, president of the Montana Tow Truck Association and owner of Iron Horse Towing in Missoula, told the committee the lien law is used but needs wording changes to prevent insurers or brokers from reclaiming cargo without paying towers. "In…
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