(SB17)
GOVERNOR'S VETO
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto Senate Bill 17, which would allow tow truck companies, garage keepers, mechanics, and self-storage facilities to auction off more vehicles in their possession without judicial approval.
Companies often take temporary custody of a person's vehicle, including when a car needs routine maintenance, when the person parks at the airport, when a vehicle breaks down, or in less honest cases, when a person is the victim of predatory towing. Regardless of the reason why, Virginians should not have to worry that the company with temporary possession of their vehicle can sell it without their permission or a court order.
Senate Bill 17 would put more vehicle owners at risk by increasing the vehicle valuation limit from $12,500 to $17,000, allowing companies with temporary possession of a person's car to use an administrative process to conduct a public auction of the car. Senate Bill 17 would result in a significant increase in the number of vehicles that could be sold without going through the process of getting a court order.