|
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Tony DeLuca
|
|
DeLuca: Towing standards reported from Insurance Committee
Solid consumer protection result of bipartisan effort
HARRISBURG, Oct. 26 – State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, said legislation that would establish standards for tow truck operators was reported from the House Insurance Committee today.
"This is a consumer protection bill," DeLuca said. "I am proud of the bipartisan effort that went into House Bill 1908, which would provide comprehensive rules of consumer disclosure by towing companies. I believe much confusion will be eliminated as consistency is brought to bear at the scenes of accidents as well as the storage and release of vehicles."
DeLuca urges a vote by the full House in the next few weeks. The legislation is similar to a bill proposed by DeLuca last session. The current bill includes concerns raised last session by members of the Senate.
House Bill 1908 would establish standards for storage facilities, disclosure to consumers, and guidelines which would require towing companies to:
· Maintain a physical street address;
· Properly register the tow truck;
· Display the name, address and telephone number of the tow truck business on the tow truck itself; and
· Post the towing fees, storage fees, and related service fees, as well as hours of operation at the towing facility.
DeLuca said the legislation would require that at the scene of an accident, the tow truck operator is to provide the owner or operators of the vehicle with a notice containing the name, address and telephone number of a point of contact to be informed where the vehicle is to be stored. In addition, towing could be undertaken only if summoned to the scene by the vehicle owner, operator, law enforcement personnel, or authorized municipal personnel, who then gives authorization to tow the vehicle.
DeLuca's 2009-10 legislation passed the House but died in the Senate at the close of session.
###