North Carolina HB 577: Protect Towers and Truckers Act.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 577
Committee Substitute Favorable 6/11/25

Short Title: Protect Towers and Truckers Act. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 1, 2025
*H577-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ENACT THE PROTECT OUR NORTH CAROLINA TOWERS AND 2
TRUCKERS ACT. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
5
TITLE 6
SECTION 1. This act shall be known as the "Protect Our North Carolina Towers 7
and Truckers Act." 8
9
CREATION OF THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE TOWING AND RECOVERY 10
COMMISSION 11
SECTION 2.1.(a) Article 17 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by 12
adding a new Part to read: 13
"Part 4. Commercial Motor Vehicle Towing and Recovery Commission. 14
"§ 143B-1765. Definitions. 15
The following definitions apply in this Part: 16
(1) Reserved for future codification purposes. 17
(2) Reserved for future codification purposes. 18
(3) Commercial motor vehicle. – As defined in G.S. 20-4.01(3d)a. and 19
G.S. 20-4.01(3d)b. 20
(4) Tow operations. – The removal and storage of a commercial motor vehicle or 21
commercial motor vehicle combination by a tower provided in response to a 22
request from local law enforcement or State agency without prior consent or 23
authorization of the owner or operator of the commercial motor vehicle. 24
(5) Tower. – As defined in G.S. 20‑219.9. 25
"§ 143B-1766. Creation and purpose. 26
There is created the Commercial Motor Vehicle Towing and Recovery Commission within 27
the State Highway Patrol. 28
"§ 143B-1767. Commission membership and meetings. 29
(a) The Commission shall be comprised of the following members: 30
(1) One voting member that is a State Highway Patrol Major appointed by the 31
Commander. This member shall be the chair of the Commission. 32
(2) One voting member appointed by the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of 33
Police. 34

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 577-Second Edition
(3) One voting member and one alternate member appointed by the North 1
Carolina Trucking Association. The alternate member may serve as the voting 2
member in the absence of the appointed voting member. 3
(4) One voting member and one alternate member appointed by the Towing and 4
Recovery Professionals of North Carolina. The alternate member may serve 5
as the voting member in the absence of the appointed voting member. 6
(5) One voting member with experience in towing recovery and repair appointed 7
by the Commissioner of Insurance of the Department of Insurance. 8
(6) One nonvoting member appointed by the Secretary of the Department of 9
Public Safety from the Office of Legal Counsel. 10
(b) Members shall be appointed for a period of two years with terms expiring on January 11
1 of the year in which the term expires. Members may serve consecutive terms. The appointing 12
authority may appoint a member to serve out the unexpired term of any member. 13
(c) The Commission shall select a vice-chair from the voting members of the 14
Commission. The Commission shall meet at least quarterly at times and places the Commission 15
may designate and at such other times and places on the call of the chair or, in the absence of the 16
chair, by the vice-chair. A quorum is a majority of the voting members present. Members shall 17
receive no compensation for serving on the Commission, however, members may receive travel 18
and subsistence expenses from funds made available to the Commission. 19
"§ 143B-1768. Commission powers and duties. 20
The Commission shall have the powers and duties necessary to administer the provisions of 21
this Part. These powers include all of the following: 22
(1) Adopting rules in accordance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. 23
(2) Determining a range of towing, storage, and related fees for tow operations 24
which are deemed reasonable, utilizing information compiled by the 25
Commission pursuant to G.S. 143B-1769 and any relevant industry 26
information regarding fees. 27
(3) Creating and administering a non-binding process for fee dispute resolution 28
with the purpose of facilitating communication, understanding, reconciliation, 29
and settlement of fee disputes for extraordinary fees related to tow operations. 30
(4) Cooperating, coordinating, and consulting with State agencies and local law 31
enforcement agencies pursuant to this Article. 32
(5) Receiving referrals from, and making recommendations to, State agencies and 33
local law enforcement agencies related to fee disputes for tow operations 34
pursuant to processes established by the Commission. 35
"§ 143B-1769. Commercial motor vehicle tow operation fees. 36
(a) With an application for inclusion on the State Highway Patrol rotation wrecker list, 37
established under G.S. 143B-1716, or any local law enforcement agency wrecker rotation list to 38
conduct tow operations, or to provide services under a contract with the Department of 39
Transportation for the removal of vehicle, cargo, or other pers