HCSHB745--TOWINGOFCOMMERCIALVEHICLES
SPONSOR: Griffith
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonTransportation byavoteof11to0,with1voting
present.
ThisbillrequirestheDepartmentofTransportation toestablish
procedurestoaddresscertainnonconsensualtowingpractices
relatedtotheremovalofcommercialvehiclesfromroadways,a
complaintfilingandadjudicationprocess,andprovisionsfor
permanentlyortemporarilyprohibitingtowingcompaniesfrom
performingnonconsensualtowsiftheyviolatetheprovisionsofthe
bill.
Thedepartmentmayestablisha"TowingandRecoveryReviewBoard"
toassistinimplementingtheprovisionsofthebill,with
membershipandfunctionsasspecified. Thebillalsospecifies
thattheDepartmentortheBoardcandecideifavehicleis
releasedwhenthefeesaredisputed,prohibitsperpoundcharges
fornonconsensualtows,providesthatstoragechargescease
accruinguponthedateacomplaintisfiledwiththeDepartment,
andprohibitsnonconsensualtowsfromcreatingliensoncommercial
vehiclesorcargo.
Ifanowneroroperatorofacommercialvehiclerequeststheuseof
aspecifictowingcompany,lawenforcementagenciesmusthonorthat
request,exceptundercertainconditions.
Towingcompaniesmustprovidereasonableaccesstocommercial
vehiclesthatarethesubjectofanonconsensualtow,forpurposes
specifiedinthebill.Atowingcompanyperforminganonconsensual
towwhenprohibitedfromdoingsobytheDepartmentwillbesubject
toacivilpenaltyof$25,000perviolation.
ThisbillissimilartoSB516(2025).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatsomethingneedstobedoneabout
thetowingcostspaidbyindependenttruckersfornonconsensual
tows.There’snorecoursefortheincrediblyhighcostofgetting
assistancefromthetowingcompanies. Independenttruckersbuy
towinginsuranceandiftheyaren’tcoveredenough,theypayoutof
pocketwhentheStateHighwayPatrolorrespondingagencycallsto
haveatowingcompanyclearthehighwayafteratruckisinvolved inacollisionortip-overorgoesofftheroad.Theindependent
truckerscaneasilybebankruptedbyanaccidentontheroadand
therearesomebadactorstakingadvantageofthetruckers.
Sometimes,costsareexacerbatedbecausetowingcompaniesdon’t
knowwhatwillbenecessaryatthescenewhentheyarecontacted.
However,othertimes,costsaredrivenupbyexcessivehourly
rates,unwarrantedadditionalequipment,andpricegouging.
Guardrailsarenecessary.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Griffith;
NationalInsuranceCrimeBureau(NICB);MissouriTrucking
Association;WilliamLewisPush,OwnerOperatorIndependentDrivers
Association;SteveRyun,CommercialTruckClaimsManagement;Mike
Matousek,AmericanTruckingAssociations;MissouriInsurance
Coalition.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatitisunnecessary.
Itishardtofillvacanciesonboardsandcommissions. Some
haven'tmetinyears.Thisisanaddedlayerofresponsibility for
newappointmentswhenthere'sacommissioninplacethatcould
coverthisalready. Abiddingprocessforwhichtowingcompany
shouldbecalledisamoreeffectivesolutionandhasseensuccess
inSt.CharlesandO'Fallon.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwasArnieDienoff.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.