Connecticut Senate Passes New Towing Reforms to Strengthen 2025 Consumer Protections

The Connecticut Senate has approved additional towing reforms, expanding on landmark legislation passed in 2025 to protect consumers from predatory practices by towing companies. The new measures aim to address ongoing issues exposed by investigations from The Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica.

Key Reforms Passed by the Senate

The Senate passed Senate Bill 413, which introduces two major changes:

• A new online portal will allow Connecticut drivers to track their towed vehicles in real time.
• Towing companies will be required to consider the age of a vehicle before selling it, with sales prohibited for vehicles under 15 years old within 30 days.

Background: 2025 Towing Law Overhaul

Last year’s reform law addressed widespread concerns about towing companies selling vehicles too quickly. Under the 2025 legislation:

• Towing companies could no longer sell vehicles in as little as 15 days if the car was valued under $1,500—one of the shortest timelines in the U.S.
• New protections included a 30-day waiting period before sales, acceptance of credit card payments, and the right for owners to retrieve belongings from towed cars.
• Companies were also required to warn owners before towing cars from private property for minor issues.

Ongoing Issues Prompted Further Reforms

Despite the 2025 reforms, investigations revealed persistent problems:

• Many residents never received notice that their cars would be sold due to outdated contact information or incorrect vehicle registrations.
• An analysis by The Connecticut Mirror and ProPublica found that towing companies undervalued vehicles, allowing them to sell cars faster than legally permitted.

These findings led to the creation of a working group, which studied towing policies and recommended additional safeguards.

Senate Unanimously Supports New Bill

The Senate passed Senate Bill 413 by a vote of 35-1, with bipartisan support. The House is expected to vote on the measure in the coming days.

“There are bad actors. We have read about it in the press. It’s what prompted us to take action and really kind of take a look at our towing statutes on the whole.”

Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, ranking member of the committee, praised the bill as a continuation of “remarkable landmark legislation” from last year. He emphasized the need to balance consumer protections with support for reputable towing businesses.

The new reforms are expected to take effect if approved by the House and signed into law.