What's happening
The Parking Protection Act requires clearer parking fee signage, restricts towing and immobilization practices, and caps related fees in New York.
Why it matters
Requires parking facilities to post large, clear signs with precise, up-to-date parking rates and the exact timeframes those rates apply, making it harder for operators to surprise customers with hidden or unclear fees.
Imposes strict notification and transparency rules for towing and vehicle immobilization, including mandatory disclosure of the names and contact information of both facility operators and towing/immobilization agents, as well as the exact costs involved.
Prohibits towing or immobilizing a vehicle unless the same car has violated parking rules at least twice before, or if the vehicle is occupied by a person or live animal, reducing the risk of predatory or unjustified enforcement actions.
Caps towing and storage fees (maximum $125 total for tow and first three days, $15/day after), mandates nearby storage, and requires convenient payment options (cash or credit), protecting consumers from excessive costs and logistical burdens when retrieving their vehicles.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Drivers from Unfair Towing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Limit Parking Towing Fees
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor James Skoufis
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8461
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
July 8, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. RYAN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to establishing the parking protection act
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "parking protection act".
§ 2. The section heading, subdivisions 2 and 3, and paragraph (i) of subdivision 7 of section 399-v of the general business law, the section heading and subdivision 2 as amended, and paragraph (i) of subdivision 7 as added by chapter 328 of the laws of 2008 and subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 655 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
Parking facilities; towing and immobilization of vehicles, posting of notices.
2. (a) Every parking facility shall display prominently a conspicuous notice stating the name, address and telephone number of the operator of the parking facility together with the name, address and telephone number of any individual or entity authorized to tow from such parking facility any motor vehicle or the name, address and telephone number of any individual or entity authorized to place a device designed to immobilize any motor vehicle in such parking facility. Such notice shall also state that unauthorized vehicles will be towed or immobilized at the vehicle owner's expense and shall state the cost for the towing and storage or for the immobilization.
(b) All parking facilities shall display prominently a conspicuous sign, not less than three feet by four feet in size, that unambiguously states the currently applicable price of parking at the facility and the period of time during which the price is valid. A higher price shall not take effect unless a sign providing notice of the change in price has been posted at least one hour prior to the time at which the higher
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13117-01-9
A. 8461 2
price is intended to commence. The signs required under this paragraph shall be separate from the notice required under paragraph (a) of this subdivision and shall comply with and contain all of the following:
(i) black letters on a white background;
(ii) letters and numbers that are at least six inches in height;
(iii) all letters shall be in the same font;
(iv) all letters and numbers shall be proportionately spaced;
(v) each type of rate shall be specified on a separate line; and
(vi) no prices shall be expressed as a range.
(c) No person shall be charged a price for parking except as set forth on the sign posted pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subdivision.
3. (a) No owner or operator of a parking facility shall tow or authorize the towing of any motor vehicle or immobilize or authorize the immobilization of any motor vehicle in such parking facility unless such owner or operator displays a notice pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section and the commercial tower is duly licensed by a municipality or local government.
(b) No motor vehicle may be towed or immobilized:
(i) unless the motor vehicle has, on at least two previous occasions, parked in a manner inconsistent with law or posted instructions at the parking facility from which the owner seeks to have it towed or at which the owner seeks to have it immobilized; or
(ii) when the vehicle is occupied by any person or live animal.
(c) No vehicle towed pursuant to this section shall be stored more than ten miles from the parking facility from which is it removed. If no such storage facility is available, the closest available facility for storage shall be utilized. The storage facility must be a secure place for safekeeping vehicles.
(d) (i) If the registered owner or other person in control of the motor vehicle arrives at the scene prior to the removal of the vehicle, and the vehicle is connected to any apparatus for towing, the vehicle shall be removed from the apparatus and the registered owner or other person having control of the vehicle shall be allowed to remove the vehicle from the premises upon payment of a reasonable service fee of not more than one-half of the charge allowed for towing.
(ii) A person who has immobilized a motor vehicle shall release the vehicle to the registered owner or other person in control of the motor vehicle within thirty minutes of having received payment for the vehicle's release.
(iii) A tow operator who has removed a motor vehicle under this section, or person who has immobilized a vehicle under this section, shall accept for payment either cash or credit card, at the election of the owner or person in control of the vehicle and a receipt for payment shall be offered.
(i) regulate the reasonable amount, which amount shall not exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars total for the towing and first three days of storage and not more than fifteen dollars per day of storage for the fourth and subsequent days of storage, that a commercial tower may charge for the towing and storage of a vehicle removed from a parking facility;
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.