Bill Text: FL S0974 | 2014 | Regular Session | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Towing of Vehicles and Vessels

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2014-05-02 - Died in Community Affairs [S0974 Detail]

Download: Florida-2014-S0974-Comm_Sub.html
       Florida Senate - 2014                              CS for SB 974
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Transportation; and Senator Abruzzo
       
       
       
       
       
       596-02584-14                                           2014974c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to towing of vehicles and vessels;
    3         amending s. 715.07, F.S.; authorizing an owner or
    4         lessee of real property to have a vehicle or vessel
    5         removed from the property without certain signage if
    6         the vehicle or vessel has remained on the property for
    7         a specified period; providing that the specified
    8         period does not begin until a certain notice is
    9         physically attached to the vehicle or vessel;
   10         providing requirements for the notice; providing an
   11         effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 715.07, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   16  read:
   17         715.07 Vehicles or vessels parked on private property;
   18  towing.—
   19         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   20         (a) “Vehicle” means a any mobile item that which normally
   21  uses wheels, whether motorized or not.
   22         (b) “Vessel” means every description of watercraft, barge,
   23  and airboat used or capable of being used as a means of
   24  transportation on water, other than a seaplane or a “documented
   25  vessel” as defined in s. 327.02(9).
   26         (2) The owner or lessee of real property, or a any person
   27  authorized by the owner or lessee, which person may be the
   28  designated representative of the condominium association if the
   29  real property is a condominium, may cause a any vehicle or
   30  vessel parked on such property without her or his permission to
   31  be removed by a person regularly engaged in the business of
   32  towing vehicles or vessels, without liability for the costs of
   33  removal, transportation, or storage or damages caused by such
   34  removal, transportation, or storage, under any of the following
   35  circumstances:
   36         (a) The towing or removal of a any vehicle or vessel from
   37  private property without the consent of the registered owner or
   38  other legally authorized person in control of that vehicle or
   39  vessel is subject to strict compliance with the following
   40  conditions and restrictions:
   41         1.a. A Any towed or removed vehicle or vessel must be
   42  stored at a site within a 10-mile radius of the point of removal
   43  in a any county with a population of 500,000 population or more
   44  or, and within a 15-mile radius of the point of removal in a any
   45  county with a population of less than 500,000 population. That
   46  site must be open for the purpose of redemption of vehicles from
   47  8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on any day that the person or firm towing such
   48  vehicle or vessel is open for towing purposes, from 8:00 a.m. to
   49  6:00 p.m., and, when closed, shall have prominently posted a
   50  sign indicating a telephone number where the operator of the
   51  site can be reached at all times. Upon receipt of a telephoned
   52  request to open the site to redeem a vehicle or vessel, the
   53  operator must shall return to the site within 1 hour or she or
   54  he will be in violation of this section.
   55         b. If no towing business providing such service is located
   56  within the area of towing limitations under set forth in sub
   57  subparagraph a., the following limitations apply: a any towed or
   58  removed vehicle or vessel must be stored at a site within a 20
   59  mile radius of the point of removal in a any county with a
   60  population of 500,000 population or more or, and within a 30
   61  mile radius of the point of removal in a any county with a
   62  population of less than 500,000 population.
   63         2. Within 30 minutes after completion of the towing or
   64  removal, the person or firm that towed or removed towing or
   65  removing the vehicle or vessel must shall, within 30 minutes
   66  after completion of such towing or removal, notify the municipal
   67  police department or, in an unincorporated area, the sheriff,
   68  of: the such towing or removal;, the storage site;, the time the
   69  vehicle or vessel was towed or removed;, and the make, model,
   70  color, and license plate number of the vehicle or description
   71  and registration number of the vessel. The person or firm and
   72  shall note on the trip record obtain the name of the person at
   73  that department to whom such information was reported and note
   74  that name on the trip record.
   75         3. A person in the process of towing or removing a vehicle
   76  or vessel from the premises or parking lot in which the vehicle
   77  or vessel is not lawfully parked must stop when a person seeks
   78  the return of the vehicle or vessel. The vehicle or vessel must
   79  be returned upon the payment of a reasonable service fee of not
   80  more than one-half of the posted rate for the towing or removal
   81  service as provided in subparagraph 7. 6. The vehicle or vessel
   82  may be towed or removed if, after a reasonable opportunity, the
   83  owner or legally authorized person in control of the vehicle or
   84  vessel is unable to pay the service fee. If the vehicle or
   85  vessel is redeemed, a detailed signed receipt must be given to
   86  the person redeeming the vehicle or vessel.
   87         4. A person may not pay or accept money or other valuable
   88  consideration for the privilege of towing or removing vehicles
   89  or vessels from a particular location.
   90         5. Except when the for property is appurtenant to and
   91  obviously a part of a single-family residence or, and except for
   92  instances when notice is personally given to the owner or other
   93  legally authorized person in control of the vehicle or vessel
   94  that the area in which that vehicle or vessel is parked is
   95  reserved or otherwise unavailable for unauthorized vehicles or
   96  vessels and that the vehicle or vessel is subject to being
   97  removed at the owner’s or operator’s expense, before towing or
   98  removing a vehicle or vessel from private property without the
   99  consent of the owner or other legally authorized person in
  100  control of that vehicle or vessel, a any property owner or
  101  lessee, or person authorized by the property owner or lessee,
  102  prior to towing or removing any vehicle or vessel from private
  103  property without the consent of the owner or other legally
  104  authorized person in control of that vehicle or vessel, must
  105  post a notice subject to meeting the following requirements:
  106         a. The notice must:
  107         (I) Be prominently placed at each driveway access or curb
  108  cut allowing vehicular access to the property, within 5 feet
  109  from the public right-of-way line. If there are no curbs or
  110  access barriers, the signs must be posted not less than one sign
  111  for each 25 feet of lot frontage.
  112         (II)b.The notice must Clearly indicate, in not less than
  113  2-inch high, light-reflective letters on a contrasting
  114  background, that unauthorized vehicles will be towed away at the
  115  owner’s expense. The words “tow-away zone” must be included on
  116  the sign in not less than 4-inch high letters.
  117         (III)c.The notice must also Provide the name and current
  118  telephone number of the person or firm towing or removing the
  119  vehicles or vessels.
  120         b.d. The sign structure containing the required notices
  121  must be permanently installed with the words “tow-away zone” at
  122  least not less than 3 feet but no and not more than 6 feet above
  123  ground level and must be continuously maintained on the property
  124  for at least not less than 24 hours before prior to the towing
  125  or removing a vehicle or vessel removal of any vehicles or
  126  vessels.
  127         e. The local government may require permitting and
  128  inspection of such these signs before prior to any towing or
  129  removing a vehicle or vessel is removal of vehicles or vessels
  130  being authorized.
  131         c.f. A business with 20 or fewer parking spaces satisfies
  132  the notice requirements of this subparagraph by prominently
  133  displaying a sign stating “Reserved Parking for Customers Only
  134  Unauthorized Vehicles or Vessels Will be Towed Away At the
  135  Owner’s Expense” in not less than 4-inch high, light-reflective
  136  letters on a contrasting background.
  137         d.g. A property owner towing or removing vessels from real
  138  property must post notice, consistent with the requirements in
  139  sub-subparagraphs a.-c. a.-f., which apply to vehicles, that
  140  unauthorized vehicles or vessels will be towed away at the
  141  owner’s expense.
  142         6. Notwithstanding subparagraph 5., a business owner or
  143  lessee may authorize the removal of a vehicle or vessel by a
  144  towing company when a the vehicle or vessel is parked in such a
  145  manner that restricts the normal operation of business; is and
  146  if a vehicle or vessel parked on a public right-of-way in a
  147  manner that obstructs access to a private driveway; or has been
  148  parked or stored on private property for a period exceeding 10
  149  days, the owner or, lessee, or agent of the owner or lessee, of
  150  the real property may have the vehicle or vessel removed by a
  151  towing company upon signing an order that the vehicle or vessel
  152  be removed without a posted tow-away zone sign.
  153         a. The 10-day period after which towing or removal of a
  154  vehicle or vessel from real property without tow-away zone
  155  signage is authorized does not begin until the owner or lessee,
  156  or agent of the owner or lessee, of the real property physically
  157  attaches to the vehicle or vessel with adhesive material notice
  158  that the vehicle or vessel will be towed or removed from the
  159  real property. The notice must:
  160         (I) In the case of a vehicle, be attached to the vehicle’s
  161  windshield.
  162         (II) In the case of a vessel, be attached adjacent to the
  163  vessel registration number on the left or port side of the
  164  vessel.
  165         (III) Be at least 8.5 by 11 inches in size.
  166         (IV) Clearly indicate the date on which the notice was
  167  posted.
  168         (V) Clearly indicate in bold letters that the vehicle or
  169  vessel will be towed or removed from the real property after 10
  170  days from the date on which the notice was posted.
  171         7.6.A Any person or firm that tows or removes vehicles or
  172  vessels and proposes to require an owner, operator, or person in
  173  control of a vehicle or vessel to pay the costs of towing and
  174  storage before prior to redemption of the vehicle or vessel must
  175  file and keep on record with the local law enforcement agency a
  176  complete copy of the current rates to be charged for such
  177  services and post at the storage site an identical rate schedule
  178  and any written contracts with property owners, lessees, or
  179  persons in control of property which authorize such person or
  180  firm to remove vehicles or vessels as provided in this section.
  181         8.7.A Any person or firm towing or removing any vehicles
  182  or vessels from private property without the consent of the
  183  owner or other legally authorized person in control of the
  184  vehicles or vessels shall, on any trucks, wreckers as defined in
  185  s. 713.78(1)(c), or other vehicles used in the towing or
  186  removal, have the name, address, and telephone number of the
  187  company performing such service clearly printed in contrasting
  188  colors on the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. The
  189  name shall be in at least 3-inch, permanently affixed letters,
  190  and the address and telephone number shall be in at least 1
  191  inch, permanently affixed letters.
  192         9.8. Vehicle entry for the purpose of removing the vehicle
  193  or vessel shall be allowed with reasonable care on the part of
  194  the person or firm towing the vehicle or vessel. Such person or
  195  firm shall be liable for any damage occasioned to the vehicle or
  196  vessel if such entry is not in accordance with the standard of
  197  reasonable care.
  198         10.9. When a vehicle or vessel has been towed or removed
  199  pursuant to this section, it must be released to its owner or
  200  custodian within 1 one hour after requested. A Any vehicle or
  201  vessel owner or agent of the owner may shall have the right to
  202  inspect the vehicle or vessel before accepting its return. A,
  203  and no release or waiver of any kind which would release the
  204  person or firm towing the vehicle or vessel from liability for
  205  damages noted by the owner or other legally authorized person at
  206  the time of the redemption may not be required from a any
  207  vehicle or vessel owner or, custodian, or agent of the owner or
  208  custodian as a condition of release of the vehicle or vessel to
  209  its owner. A detailed, signed receipt showing the legal name of
  210  the company or person towing or removing the vehicle or vessel
  211  must be given to the person paying towing or storage charges at
  212  the time of payment, whether requested or not.
  213         (b) The These requirements of this subsection are minimum
  214  standards and do not preclude enactment of additional
  215  regulations by a any municipality or county including the right
  216  to regulate rates when vehicles or vessels are towed from
  217  private property.
  218         (3) This section does not apply to law enforcement,
  219  firefighting, rescue squad, ambulance, or other emergency
  220  vehicles or vessels that are marked as such or to property owned
  221  by a any governmental entity.
  222         (4) When a person improperly causes a vehicle or vessel to
  223  be removed, such person shall be liable to the owner or lessee
  224  of the vehicle or vessel for the cost of removal,
  225  transportation, and storage; any damages resulting from the
  226  removal, transportation, or storage of the vehicle or vessel;
  227  attorney attorney’s fees; and court costs.
  228         (5)(a) A Any person who violates subparagraph (2)(a)2. or
  229  subparagraph (2)(a)7. (2)(a)6. commits a misdemeanor of the
  230  first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.
  231  775.083.
  232         (b) A Any person who violates subparagraph (2)(a)1.,
  233  subparagraph (2)(a)3., subparagraph (2)(a)4., subparagraph
  234  (2)(a)8. (2)(a)7., or subparagraph (2)(a)10. (2)(a)9. commits a
  235  felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s.
  236  775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
  237         Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

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