Bill > SB382

This bill addresses several aspects of vehicle repossessions and impoundments in California. It amends existing laws to prohibit repossession agencies from discussing or agreeing with third parties about fees for personal effects, and prevents them from accepting hold harmless agreements that would exempt them from properly removing and storing personal items. The bill clarifies that licensed repossession agencies can file liens on vehicles. It also specifies that requiring additional documents beyond those explicitly outlined when releasing an impounded vehicle is a violation of the law. The bill streamlines the process for legal owners (such as banks or financial institutions) to retrieve impounded vehicles by limiting the documentation they must provide and preventing agencies from charging unnecessary administrative fees. Additionally, the bill updates language to be more gender-neutral, replacing phrases like "his or her" with "their" throughout the text. The changes aim to protect the rights of vehicle owners and simplify the vehicle release process during repossessions and impoundments, while ensuring that repossession agencies follow clear, fair practices.

Business and Industry

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB382