Washington HB 1653: Improving statewide coordination in support of anadromous fish recovery.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to payments to tow truck operators for the 1
release of vehicles to indigent citizens; amending RCW 46.55.115 and 2
46.55.120; adding a new section to chapter 46.55 RCW; and providing 3
an effective date.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 46.55 6
RCW to read as follows:7
(1) The department shall create a program to compensate 8
registered tow truck operators for private property impounds or 9
impounds performed at the direction of law enforcement to apply when 10
the owner of the vehicle is indigent, except when the vehicle has 11
been impounded after the vehicle owner has been arrested by a law 12
enforcement officer.13
(2) An individual seeking the release of a vehicle under this 14
program must:15
(a) Be the legal or registered owner of the vehicle;16
(b) Be indigent;17
(c) Either not have the ability to pay for the towing service or 18
when making such payment would be a severe hardship;19
(d) Not have applied for the release of a vehicle under this 20
program more than once in the preceding year; and21
H-1392.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1653
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By House Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives
Donaghy, Barkis, Low, Parshley, Ramel, Obras, Kloba, Shavers, Fosse,
Berg, Taylor, Eslick, Ormsby, Gregerson, and Simmons)
READ FIRST TIME 02/14/25.
p. 1 SHB 1653

(e) Fill out and certify the first part of the form described in 1
subsection (4)(a) of this section and submit it to the registered tow 2
truck operator.3
(3) A registered tow truck operator may seek payment for impounds 4
ordered by a law enforcement agency for vehicles owned by individuals 5
meeting the requirements of subsection (2) of this section when the 6
impound was not ordered following an arrest. The registered tow truck 7
operator applying for payment must fill out the second part of the 8
form described in subsection (4)(b) of this section and must submit 9
the completed form to the department.10
(4) The department shall provide a form to registered tow truck 11
operators that consists of two parts.12
(a) The first part of the form is to be completed by individuals 13
seeking the release of a vehicle and must include a requirement that 14
individuals self-certify under penalty of perjury that they meet the 15
requirements of the program and acknowledge that they understand that 16
the department may verify or audit the information and that perjury 17
is a criminal offense.18
(b)(i) The second part of the form is to be completed by 19
registered tow truck operators and must include a requirement that 20
registered tow truck operators self-certify under penalty of perjury 21
that they have verified that:22
(A) The impound was a private property impound or ordered by a 23
law enforcement agency;24
(B) The impound was not ordered following an arrest;25
(C) The individual seeking the release of a vehicle is the owner 26
of the vehicle registered or titled with the department; and27
(ii) The registered tow truck operators must acknowledge that 28
they understand that the department may verify or audit the 29
information and that perjury is a criminal offense.30
(5)(a) Subject to availability of funds, the department shall 31
disburse excess funds deposited under RCW 46.55.130(2)(h) that are no 32
longer subject to payment for a valid claim under RCW 46.55.130(2)(h) 33
in an amount equal to the cost of the towing, storage, or other 34
services incurred by the registered tow truck operators during the 35
course of the private property impound or law enforcement directed 36
impound to the eligible registered tow truck operators following 37
submission of the form by the registered tow truck operator. 38
Eligibility for payment under this section does not constitute an 39
entitlement for payment. If eligible applications for payment exceed 40
p. 2 SHB 1653

the funds available, the department must create and maintain a 1
waitlist in the order the forms are received pursuant to this 2
section. The department is not civilly or criminally liable and no 3
penalty or cause of action may be brought against it regarding the 4
provision or lack of provision of funds.5
(b) After consulting with appropriate stakeholders, the 6
department must develop rules establishing maximum rates of 7
reimbursement for towing, storage, and other services, under this 8
subsection. The department shall convene a stakeholder work group 9
every two years, with the first meeting to be held within 12 months 10
of rule adoption, to make recommendations on amendments to these 11
rules.12
(6) The department shall provide an annual report to the 13
appropriate committees of the legislature by October 1st of each 14
year. The annual report must include the total number of law 15
enforcement directed tows not following an arrest, the number of 16
vehicles released under this program, the number of applicants who 17
receiv