HB 1493 Indiana House · 2025 Regular Session

Regulation of towing services.

Summary

Requires a local law enforcement agency to establish a written policy or enter into a contract for a towing rotation for emergency towing. Requires a towing company to release property to an owner not later than 24 hours after partial payment is received for an invoice. Adds requirements for an itemized invoice provided by a towing company. Requires a towing company to create a rate sheet. Establishes rates a towing company may charge for fees for emergency towing or private property towing. Establishes a towing complaint process and the towing complaint advisory board.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Feb 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced House Bill (H) → House Bill (H) · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands Indiana's towing regulations by adding new requirements for law enforcement agencies to establish written policies or contracts for emergency towing rotations, requiring towing companies to create detailed rate sheets with specific fee disclosures, and establishing a new towing complaint advisory board. The changes aim to increase transparency, prevent unreasonable fees, and provide clearer processes for vehicle owners facing towing and storage charges.

Scope change

The bill expands scope from primarily regulating individual towing company practices to also requiring local law enforcement agencies to establish formal towing rotation policies or contracts, and adds new oversight mechanisms through a complaint advisory board.

REQUIREMENT

Local law enforcement agencies must establish written policies or contracts for emergency towing rotations that specify rates, response times, and storage requirements.

Towing companies must create detailed rate sheets listing all fees, including standby rates, storage charges, and administrative fees, with provisions for suspending companies that violate policies.

New requirement for itemized invoices that must include specific vehicle information, all fees broken down individually, and an attestation that all billed equipment was necessary and used.

Property must be released within 24 hours after the owner pays 50% of charges and files a complaint with the new advisory board.

Prohibition on charging inspection fees to vehicle owners, lienholders, or insurance representatives when costs are paid.

Contracts cannot include minimum number of hours for invoicing towing services.

ENFORCEMENT

Establishment of a towing complaint advisory board to review and resolve towing complaints, replacing the previous towing complaint board structure.

DEFINITION

New definitions for 'Compensation' and 'Property' added to clarify what constitutes payment and covered items under the towing regulations.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report: amend do pass, adopted

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors