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Senate panel clears up DMV towing reimbursement language; municipalities seek clarification
Summary
Committee members and stakeholders agreed on updated DMV draft language to authorize reimbursement for tows of vehicles removed from state rights-of-way, but asked clarifying edits to specify whether municipalities or local police can claim reimbursement and how crash tows differ from abandoned-vehicle tows.
The Senate Transportation committee on Thursday discussed revised language in a DMV miscellaneous bill that would change how towing services are reimbursed for vehicles removed from public property.
Matt Russo, deputy commissioner for the DMV, said the draft “ups the total for reimbursement” and makes the Agency of Transportation the entity eligible for reimbursement when it removes a vehicle from a state right-of-way, with payment made upon submission of a receipt. “We’re making it so that the agency of transportation is the only one that can be reimbursed by DMV for removal of the vehicle from a public right of way,” Russo said.
The Vermont Towing Association, represented by Lucy Garand of MMR, told the committee it supports the updated language but flagged one remaining number: a $2.50 item that was raised for freight tows. “We agree with the language,” Garand said, while requesting that outstanding fee details be resolved.
Committee members pressed whether the draft would effectively bar municipalities, fire departments or municipal police from seeking reimbursement from DMV in some cases. One member said there had been confusion when the matter was discussed previously and asked for the draft to be clarified so that municipalities’ ability to recover costs — where intended — is explicit.
Legislative counsel explained the draft refers back to existing statutory sections that govern abandoned vehicles and the towing process. For example, counsel noted cross-references to statutory provisions (sections addressing abandoned-vehicle procedures) and said the current purpose of the bill language is to establish a state reimbursement pathway for public-property tows rather than shifting the cost onto municipalities.
There was also discussion about scope: committee members and DMV staff distinguished abandoned-vehicle tows from crash removals, noting that Vermont State Police handling of crash scenes may follow a different process and that the committee would work with VSP and the Department of Finance and Management to clarify payment flows in the next draft.
No formal vote was taken. Committee members directed staff to refine the language to: clarify whether reimbursement is limited to tows requested by the Agency of Transportation or extends to municipal requests; specify whether abandoned-vehicle and crash-related tows are treated differently; and add clear instructions for how towing companies submit proof for reimbursement.
The committee took the item offline for technical edits and said it would schedule follow-up testimony with relevant agencies to finalize the draft.
