NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill in the Tennessee legislature may restrict parking lots from booting and towing cars if they stay too long in a parking lot. It's named the "Modernization of Towing, Immobilization, and Oversight Normalization Act."
SB 1692 was introduced by Sen. Jack Johnson (R - Franklin) and was amended to propose restrictions on vehicle booting. It would only allow people licensed by a local government to boot vehicles, and would only allow vehicles to be booted if they meet certain restrictions. The bill said it would be an offense for a commercial parking lot owner to boot or tow vehicles in the lot if they are not "abandoned, immobile or unattended."
To be considered abandoned, vehicles would need to be on public property for at least ten days, or be in disrepair and be unattended for at least three days. Vehicles on private property for more than 48 hours would also be considered abandoned.
The bill also said it would be an offense for people other than licensed parking attendants to knowingly boot a car in Tennessee. It would be considered a Class B misdemeanor the first time, and a Class A misdemeanor for subsequent violations.
Local governments would have the option to form an ordinance allowing parking attendants to get licensed. Those ordinances would need to require commercial parking lot owners to be annually licensed, and licensed parking attendants would need to wear a "distinctive uniform" identifying them.
Licensed lots would need to accept credit cards and debit cards as methods of payment to remove boots from cars, and they would need to maintain a constantly monitored phone number. Licensed lots would also need to post signs warning drivers that they could boot vehicles.
Lots would also need to post notices on booted cars' windshields. If they don't post those notices, lots would need to pay for damage from the boot. They also would not be able to charge more than $75 to remove vehicle boots.
The bill passed the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and is headed to a vote on the Senate floor. It also passed the House Commerce Committee and will be discussed in its Government Operations Committee.
"There wasn't there wasn't, you know, information that their car could be booted. And, and then there wasn't real clear instructions on what to do after it was booted," said Michaela McCarter, a resident of Knoxville whose car had recently been booted. "Just shocked, honestly. And, a lot of annoyance and anger."
The bill aims to prevent situations like hers from happening again.
"I think it would help a lot of people, and definitely stop a lot of inconvenience for people trying to just get to work," she said.