Illinois Bill Targeting Fraudulent Tow Operators Heads to Governor

A bill aimed at cracking down on fraudulent tow truck operators has cleared the Illinois General Assembly and is awaiting the signature of Gov. JB Pritzker.

House Bill 4843 unanimously expands the Illinois Secretary of State's authority to suspend or revoke registrations and special license plates issued to tow truck operators who obtained them fraudulently, illegally used tow truck plates or violated vehicle registration laws.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the measure gives the state stronger enforcement tools to identify bad actors, revoke registrations and remove unlawful operators from Illinois roads.

The legislation also allows disciplinary action against operators who commit registration fraud, misuse tow truck plates or fail to comply with vehicle transfer notification requirements.

The bill builds on legislation that took effect earlier this year, preventing rogue towing companies from rebranding after violations. That law also authorizes impounding unregistered tow trucks, suspending registrations for unpaid Illinois Commerce Commission fines, prohibits monitoring police scanners and bars liens on personal property left inside towed vehicles.

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com