Colorado legislation to expand size, scope of facial recognition task force narrowly passes

HB24-1051 would prohibit towing companies from patrolling parking residential lots

DENVER, CO – Yesterday the Senate Finance Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senators Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, and Kevin Priola, D-Henderson, to crack down on predatory towing, improve industry transparency, and ramp up consumer protections.

HB24-1051 would direct the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to promulgate new rules for towing carriers, including requiring carriers to disclose additional information necessary for effective oversight and meaningful reporting. It would also end the practice of towing carriers patrolling, monitoring or policing properties to enforce parking restrictions on behalf of property owners.

“When my car was wrongfully towed last summer, it showed me how the laws we had in place were being ignored and weren’t strong enough. Since then, I’ve heard from countless Coloradans who have shared their experiences as well, which was the reason to come back to the table and further strengthen Colorado’s Towing Bill of Rights,” said Gonzales. “It all worked out for me in the end, but you shouldn’t have to be a senator or know the law forward and backward just to be treated fairly. This bill ensures towing companies aren’t hiding the ball when it comes to telling people their options and rights under the law. My hope is that with this bill we can better protect consumers and hold tow carriers responsible for following the law.”

“Over the past few years, we’ve worked hard to improve consumer protections in the towing industry,” Priola said. “In the years since, we’ve learned that we need to do more to ensure Coloradans know their full range of options and that towing companies are actually following the law as intended. I’m proud to sponsor this legislation that makes much needed updates to our Towing Bill Rights and levels the playing field for Coloradans.”

Additionally, the bill aims to reduce incidents of wrongful towing by requiring the property owner to specifically authorize each non-consensual tow. Unauthorized vehicles would still be towed at the expense of the vehicle owner. The bill would also make it a deceptive trade practice to conduct a non-consensual tow in violation of the law.

The bill also ramps up consumer protections by requiring companies to return a wrongfully towed vehicle to the original location within 48 hours and at no charge to the vehicle owner, and by improving parking lot signage to explain towing regulations clearly in both English and Spanish.

Finally, in an effort to improve long-term transparency, HB24-1051 would allow the PUC to suspend or revoke a towing carrier permit in certain circumstances and would address conflicts of interest for members of the Towing Task Force.

HB24-1051 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further review. Track the bill’s progress HERE.