Prior to 2022, unauthorized vehicles may be impounded by a registered tow truck operator at the direction of a law enforcement officer or other public official with jurisdiction if the vehicle is on public property, or at the direction of the property owner or an agent if it is on private property. A vehicle is deemed unauthorized if it is left unattended in certain public or private locations for specified periods of time. The 2022 supplemental budget—ESSB 5689—enacted changes that permit an authorized Regional Transit Authority (RTA) representative to direct impoundment of unauthorized vehicles within the 2021-23 biennium.

The bill as referred to committee not considered.

An authorized RTA representative may direct an immediate impoundment of an unauthorized vehicle on or within ten feet on either side of a right- of- way used by an RTA for high capacity transportation where the vehicle constitutes an obstruction to the operation of high capacity transportation vehicles or jeopardizes public safety. 

The language enacted in 2022, restricting the provision to the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium, is removed.  The substantive provision allowing vehicle tows to be made at the direction of an authorized RTA representative is reenacted.

PRO: Our communities rely on services from transit. When vehicles are stopped in the right-of-way, this slows or stops transit. This bill will allow transit to directly call the tow company, making it so transit can be resumed sooner.