SB841 HFLR Page 1 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO. 841 By: Paxton of the Senate and Sims of the House An Act relating to motor vehicle storage rate s; amending 47 O.S. 2021, Section 953.2, which relates to fees and charges for storage of towed vehicles; modifying inclusions; adding applicable entities; specifying acceptable forms of payment; modifying duties of facilities; and providing an effective date. BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 953.2, is amended to read as follows: Section 953.2. A. The rates established by order of the Corporation Commission shall deter mine the maximum fees and charges for the storage and after-hours release of noncons ensual towed vehicles, including incorporated and unincorporated areas, by a wrecker or towing service licensed by the Department of Public Safety and repair facilities as defined in Section 953 of Title 15 of the Oklahoma Statutes. No wrecker or towing service or repair SB841 HFLR Page 2 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 facilities shall charge any fee for nonconsensual towed vehicles and storage which exceeds the maximum rates established by the Commission. Such rates shall be in addition to any other rates, fees or charges authorized, allowed or required by law, including environmental remediation fees and services. B. 1. Storage or after-hours release of a towed ve hicle, or both, provided by a wrecker or towing servic e or by a repair facility shall be recorded by the operator on a bill or invoice as prescribed by rules of the Department. 2. Nothing herein shall limit the right of an operato r or repair facility who has provided or caused to be provided stora ge or after-hours release of a towed vehicle, or both, to require prepayment, in part or in full, or guarantee of payment of any charges incurred for providing such services. 3. This section shall not be construed to require an operator or repair facility to charge a fee for the storage or after-hours release, or both, of any towed vehicle. 4. The operator or repair facility is authorized to collect all lawful fees in acceptable forms of payment such as through check, credit card, automated clearing house transfer, o r debit card from the owner, lienholder or agent of the towed vehicle or insurer accepting liability for paying the claim for a vehicle or pur chasing the vehicle as a total loss vehicle from the registered owner for the performance of any an d all such services. An operator or repair SB841 HFLR Page 3 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 facility shall make the towed vehicle available for insp ection by the owner, lien holder, agent of the towed vehicle , or insurer accepting liability for paying the claim for a vehicle and shall release the vehicle from storage upon authorization from the owner, agent or lienholder of the vehicle or in the case of a total loss, the insurer accepting liability for paying the claim for the v ehicle or purchasing the vehicle where the vehicle is to be moved to an insurance pool yard for sale. C. The rates in subsections D through F of this section shall be applicable until superseded by rates established by the Commission. D. Outdoor Storage Rates. 1. Rates in this subsection shall apply to the outdoor storage of a towed vehicle. Rates may be applied from the time the t owed vehicle is brought onto the outdoor sto rage facility premises. Rates shall apply to each calendar day of outdoor stora ge; provided, the maximum twenty-four-hour fee, as provided for in this section, may be charged for any towed vehicle which is store d for a portion of a twenty-four-hour period. 2. Maximum outdoor storage rates shall be as follows: Rate per Each 24-hour Period or Type of Towed Vehicle Portion Thereof SB841 HFLR Page 4 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Single vehicle: motorcycle, automobile, or light truck up to 20 feet in length $15.00 Single vehicle or combination of vehicl es over 20 feet in length but less than 30 feet in length $20.00 Single vehicle or combination of vehicles over 30 feet in length and up to 8 feet in width $25.00 Single vehicle or combination of vehicles over 30 feet in length and over 8 feet in width $35.00 E. Indoor Storage Rates:. 1. Rates in this subsection shall apply to the indoor storage of a towed vehicle. Rates may be a pplied from the time the towed vehicle is brought into the indoor storage facili ty premises. Rates shall apply to each calen dar day of indoor storage; provided, the maximum twenty-four-hour fee, as provided for in this section, may be charged for any towe d vehicle which is stored for a portion o f a twenty-four-hour period. 2. Maximum indoor storage rates shall be as follows: Rate per Each 24-hour Period or Type of Towed Vehicle Portion Thereof SB841 HFLR Page 5 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Single vehicle: motorcycle, automobile, or light truck up to 20 feet in length $25.00 Single vehicle or combination of vehicles over 20 feet in length but less than 30 feet in length $30.00 Single vehicle or combination of vehicles over 30 feet in length and up to 8 feet in width $35.00 Single vehicle or combin ation of vehicles over 30 feet in length and over 8 feet in width $45.00 3. For purposes of this subsection, “indoor storage” means the vehicle is kept in an enclosed facility. F. After-Hours Release Rate. 1. The rate in this subsection shall apply to the release of a towed vehicle to the own er, lienholder, or agent when such rele ase occurs at a time other than normal busine ss hours. 2. As used in this subsection: a. “after-hours release rate” shall mean the rate charged for the release of a towed vehi cle between the hours of midnight and 8:00 a.m., or between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and midnight Monday through Friday, or any time on Saturday, Sunday or a national holiday, and SB841 HFLR Page 6 BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 b. “national holiday” shall mean New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Georg e Washington’s Birthday, on the third Monday in February, Memorial Day, Independ ence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgivi ng Day and Christmas Day, and shall further include the Friday before such national holiday which falls on a Saturday and the Monday following such national holiday which falls on a Sunday. 3. The maximum after -hours release rate shall be Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) per quarter hour for the release of any single vehicle or combination o f vehicles. G. An operator or repair facility shall be required to provide reasonable documentation to substantiate all lawful fee s charged the owner, lienholder, agent or ins urer accepting liability for paying the claim for the towed vehicle or purchasin g the towed vehicle. Fees for which the operator or repair facility is being reimbursed, or having paid to a third party, shall in clude copies of the invoice or other appropriate documents to substantiate the payment to the third party. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, dated 04/04/2023 - DO PASS.