HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has approved House Bill 593, legislation aimed at streamlining the processing of junk titles for abandoned vehicles. Introduced by state Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Phila., the bill passed on Thursday, addressing a longstanding issue for tow truck operators burdened with storing unclaimed and often damaged vehicles.
House Bill 593 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to complete administrative steps, including processing salvage certificates, within 10 business days. The current process, which can take up to six months, leaves tow truck operators with storage costs and logistical challenges while waiting for titles to be processed.
“Right now, it can take up to six months for PennDOT to process junk titles, which leaves tow truck operators responsible for the non-working vehicle,” said Neilson, who chairs the House Transportation Committee. “Ensuring the reasonable processing and delivery of junk titles will greatly assist tow truck operators who don’t have the space or resources to store vehicles for an extended period of time.”
The bill targets situations in which vehicles, typically damaged and of little value, are abandoned after accidents or left on roadsides. Tow truck drivers often shoulder the financial burden of storing these unclaimed vehicles while waiting for legal ownership to be resolved so they can dispose of them.
This is the second time the House has advanced similar legislation; the prior version stalled in the state Senate in the last legislative session. House Bill 593 now returns to the Senate for consideration, where its supporters hope for a smoother path to approval.
If enacted, the bill would provide much-needed relief to tow truck operators and ensure a more timely resolution of abandoned vehicle cases across the state.
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