State lawmakers in Ohio are considering a bill that would make it illegal for towing companies to employ a spotter.
A spotter is a person who reports illegally parked vehicles for towing, removing, or impounding that vehicle. If approved, House Bill 113 would impose a third-degree misdemeanor on a towing service that violates this prohibition.
In testimony filed with the House’s Transportation and Public Safety Committee, the Towing and Recovery Association of Ohio (TRAO) said it believes spotting “is not a common practice in the industry, and that any problem such as the impetus to this bill is extremely rare.”
The TRAO said it did not specifically oppose the bill. However, the organization said violating the bill, if approved and signed into law, should be a minor misdemeanor rather than a third-degree misdemeanor.