MACo Associate Director Andrea Mansfield testified before the House Environmental Matters Committee in support of HB356 with amendments. HB 356 would implement the recommendations of the Task Force to Study Motor Vehicle Towing Practices MACo appreciated the opportunity to be represented on this Task Force and believes the statewide framework outlined in HB 356 will serve as an appropriate “floor” to protect citizens from unscrupulous practices.

In its testimony, MACo expressed concerned with language on page 4 of the bill that states that a motor vehicle towing and storage lienor may not sell the motor vehicle to which the lien is attached unless the lienor is licensed by the local jurisdiction.  As the Task Force report points out, not all jurisdictions license towing companies, yet this bill provision implies that a jurisdiction would need to establish a licensing process.  Instead of having each jurisdiction establish a tower license to satisfy this section, MACo suggested that this language be amended to allow the use of a business license as the means of oversight and enforcement in those jurisdictions that do not license towers – retaining the bill’s intended incentives, without a local mandate.