Gill Measure to Help Stolen Vehicle Crime Victims Signed into Law

CHICAGO – A recently signed law spearheaded by state Rep. Mary Gill, D-Chicago, will help stolen vehicle crime victims by eliminating government towing fees and expanding the ability for the victim to recover their personal belongings.

“When someone has their vehicle stolen, the last thing they need to deal with is more fees and bureaucratic hurdles,” Gill said. “I was inspired to push this legislation after hearing from a constituent who was unable to access their own hearing aids until they paid towing and storage fees to a private towing company. That’s simply wrong. We have to better prioritize those who were a victim and help them return things to normal.”

Gill was a lead sponsor of Senate Bill 2654, under which if an individual presents a valid police report of their vehicle being stolen to the towing company, they will not be charged government fines, fees and penalties. If a private towing company is involved – and if they know the name and address of the owner at the time of towing – they will now be required to provide written notice to the vehicle owner within two days. No storage fees can be charged if the owner recovers their vehicle within seven days. Additionally, when authorizing a vehicle towing, law enforcement will be required to provide the registered owner’s name and mailing address to the towing company.

The new law further explicitly prevents medical devices stored within vehicles, such as hearing instruments, from being held as collateral for fee payment. Existing law had already prevented wallets, purses, eyeglasses, food, and similar items from being held, and Gill’s measure now adds personal medical and health care devices, social security cards, passbooks, and higher education textbooks and study materials.

After receiving bipartisan support in the General Assembly, Senate Bill 2654 was signed into law Friday. The measure’s implementation date is Jan. 1, 2025.

For more information, please contact RepMaryGill@gmail.com.