NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee lawmakers want to protect you from those wanting to make a quick buck by booting your car.
This week Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson filed legislation protect vehicle owners in Tennessee from people trying to profit off of immobilizing and confiscating vehicles.
Unfortunately, current laws don't do much to protect drivers.
Senate Bill 1692 would cap the fee to remove a boot at $75, create new regulations for towing and parking, and would make it so that only people licensed through a local government can boot cars. Currently, companies can charge whatever they want.
It could also speed up getting that boot removed. Commercial lots would need to have attendants on site and remove the boot within 30 minutes of a driver's call. Johnson said he received complaints from people who have had to go through unreasonably long and expensive processes to get control of their car again. He said the wait time could be dangerous.
"If you're going to go to the egregious step of immobilizing someone's vehicle, when there could be an emergency, there could be a sick child you need to get to the hospital, and you come out and find your vehicle has been immobilized, those people need to be held accountable," said Johnson.
The legislation also notes that vehicle owners have to be properly notified if their vehicle is being towed, sold or demolished. If the towing process has begun, but the vehicle hasn’t left the parking area, the bill requires towing companies to release vehicles to the owner for a fee of no more than $100.
Johnson said the legislation is to protect vehicle owners from what he says has been abuse that's taken place for some time now. The legislation now advances to the full Senate.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
