Bill would raise fees and allow AOT to reimburse tows to speed removal of abandoned vehicles

The committee reviewed proposals in S.326 to address growing challenges with abandoned vehicles on state rights-of-way. Counsel explained the draft increases the per-vehicle reimbursement available to towing companies (the fee that DMV can pay) from $1.25 to $2.50 and would allow AOT to pay for a tow up to $250 and then obtain reimbursement via DMV accounting.

Members said the change is intended to speed removals and improve towing-company response. Counsel explained the practical effect: AOT could pay a towing company directly to remove a vehicle from state right-of-way and later seek reimbursement through the DMV funding set aside for abandoned-vehicle tows. That change is primarily an interagency accounting and payment mechanism to reduce delay and encourage towing firms to respond.

Committee members asked whether the proposed change would apply to private-property tows (it would not) and how additional towing or storage costs beyond the reimbursement would be recovered; counsel said the statute and existing certification process allow towing companies to recover storage and remaining costs through established reclamation and disposal procedures, and stressed this change targets truly abandoned vehicles where the local owner is not available to pay.

The committee signaled general comfort with the section but requested clearer explanatory language for the floor report and additional agency clarification on operational details and past tow volumes to quantify need.