COLUMBUS—In a nearly unanimous vote, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a law on Wednesday afternoon that would outlaw predatory towing.

  • HB 113 is intended to stop towing companies from hiring “spotters”
  • For those on a fixed income or struggling financially, this type of towing can be devastating
  • The bill calls for criminalizing predatory towing

“What we don’t want is certain renegade towing companies actually hiring someone to sit in the bushes, and call the moment someone pulls into a spot,” said Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville).

House Bill 113 aims to stop towing companies from hiring “spotters”—people who stake out parking lots, looking for people parking illegally.

Patton, who sponsors the bill, says it’s a practice that generates a lot of money for the towing companies, but can be financially ruinous for those being towed.

“You’re looking at someone who’s on a fixed income, or even worse, and they’re struggling, and they run in to pick up that loaf of bread, and there might be a sign, and it’s difficult for someone who all of a sudden is hit with a $150 towing charge,” said Patton.

The bill goes as far as criminalizing this type of predatory towing.

“It’s a third-degree misdemeanor, $500 fine, and we hope that that’s enough of an incentive to make them stop,” said Patton.

The bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park), thinks it will ultimately give drivers a second chance.

“I think it will work wonders in trying to weed out those folks of not only taking advantage of the public, but taking advantage of people paying them under the table this scouting fee to go out and catch people,” said Miranda.

For her, the punishment for a parking violation, shouldn’t be a violation of privacy.

“It seemed clear to me that predatory folks who are paid under the table to report cars that are parked in certain places is a violation of privacy,” said Miranda.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to Shamrock Towing—one of the biggest towing companies in Columbus— but has yet to hear back from them.

The bill now heads to the Senate.