Bill > HB1184

This bill makes several changes related to towing and vehicle storage. It clarifies that proceeds from the sale of abandoned vehicles by cities, counties, or towns must first cover the costs incurred by towing companies or storage facilities for removal, storage, and disposal. Towing companies responding to emergency calls will be allowed to use the shoulder of the road if necessary to reach disabled vehicles. For commercial private property owners establishing tow-away zones, signs must now be posted between five and seven feet from the ground, and towing companies are prohibited from towing vehicles if these signs are not at the correct height. Additionally, towing companies and storage facilities must accept credit and debit cards for payment and cannot charge a service fee exceeding three percent for these transactions. The bill also establishes new requirements for how collateral recovery agencies, which are entities that repossess property for lenders, must store collateral, including a standard ten-day storage period within their towing rates and a daily fee for storage beyond that. Finally, it specifies that self-service storage facility owners can tow or remove a motor vehicle, trailer, or watercraft if the renter is in default for at least sixty days.