ARLINGTON, Va. — Arlington delegates Adele McClure and Alfonso Lopez are making sure towing companies aren't taking advantage of what they're calling "predatory behavior."
HB 959, spearheaded by Delegate Lopez, will require tow operators to get permission from a property owner or their agent before towing a specific vehicle and regulate the monitoring practices used by tow operators. It will also increase the penalty that the Attorney General can collect from towing operators that break the law in northern Virginia.
Delegate McClure authored HB 1287, which addresses predatory towing by granting local leaders in Northern Virginia the authority to create a permit system for all towing companies.
"This bill simply gives the locality another tool in their toolbox," she explained, "a powerful tool to implement that authority that they otherwise didn’t have."
WUSA9 reached out to Arlington County to find out what its plan is. A spokesperson tells us in a statement:
"While these bills allow for the option of local actions, Arlington County will still need to update its ordinances before they can take effect.
Arlington County’s Trespass Towing Advisory Board will meet in the coming months to discuss potential changes and then provide input and recommendations for the County Board’s consideration."
WUSA9 also reached out to nearly a dozen towing companies in the Arlington area. While most of them did not want to be interviewed, a few owners said they wanted to see what actions Arlington County would take first. But they admit these new laws will likely affect business.
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.