Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

House Bill 174 repeals and replaces Chapter 18, Title 49 of Idaho Code, which governs the towing and storage of motor vehicles. The legislation introduces a comprehensive framework to regulate abandoned, stolen, and unauthorized vehicles across the state. It outlines detailed processes for vehicle removal in cases involving accidents, arrests, extraordinary circumstances, private property violations, and abandonment on public roadways.

The bill assigns presumed responsibility for abandoned vehicles to the last registered owner and specifies procedures for law enforcement and towing companies regarding notification, vehicle storage, and title disposition. It establishes due process safeguards, including the right to a hearing and the ability to file a declaration of opposition. HB 174 also creates an Abandoned Vehicle Trust Account funded by fees collected through district courts, with revenue shared between law enforcement and tow companies.

The legislation includes statewide uniformity provisions, preempting conflicting local ordinances. It adds new background check requirements for tow operators on state-authorized tow lists and mandates transparency in rate sheets and maximum storage terms. The bill will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Reason for Rating:

While H0174 significantly restructures how towing and vehicle storage are handled in Idaho, it does not clearly expand or reduce government scope in a way that definitively aligns or conflicts with core Idaho Republican Party Platform principles. It could be viewed as a clarification and modernization of existing policy, balancing private property rights, law enforcement needs, and consumer protections without creating new taxes or entitlements. Therefore, it receives a neutral rating.