SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 2746

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 26, 1992

Brief Description:  Authorizing contracts between tow truck operators and landowners for payment of impound charges.

SPONSORS: Representatives Zellinsky, R. Fisher, Ballard, Van Luven and Ferguson

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Nelson, Vice Chairman; von Reichbauer, Vice Chairman; Barr, Conner, Erwin, W. Hansen, Madsen, McMullen, Oke, Sellar, Skratek, Thorsness, and Vognild.

Staff:  Brad Lovaas (786‑7307)

Hearing Dates: February 26, 1992

BACKGROUND:

No registered tow truck operator may receive compensation from a private property landowner or his or her agent for impounding a vehicle.  The provision is to prevent collusion between landowners and tow truck operators.

Many tow truck operators will not respond to calls from private property landowners to remove abandoned junk vehicles.  This is due to the fact that in some instances the tow truck operator cannot recover incurred cost of the junk vehicle from the registered vehicle owner who has abandoned the junk vehicle.

SUMMARY:

In limited situations a landowner may pay a tow truck operator for removal of a vehicle that has an approximate fair market value equal to the scrap value in the vehicle.  The vehicle must be impounded in the manner currently prescribed in statute.  Any compensation from the landowner must be deducted from the amount of the vehicle lien resulting from impoundment and storage charges.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

This provision will aid in the removal of junk vehicles from private property.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Paul Zellinsky, prime sponsor; Al Runte', Washington Tow Truck Association; Stu Halsan, Washington Tow Truck Association