CaliforniaYards holding certain towed vehicles would have to accept bank debit cards
People claiming vehicles after certain tows or impounds would be able to pay fees with valid bank debit cards, usually bearing the presenter’s name.
What it does
Yards handling certain tows and impounds would have to accept valid bank debit cards when people pay to claim vehicles. Most rules require the presenter’s name on the card.
Yards and agencies would count as refusing release if they demand more documents than the release rules allow from legal owners or agents. Police and prosecutor evidence holds are excluded.
Argument forOwners or agents with valid bank debit cards in their own names could pay covered fees without finding cash or using credit.
Argument againstOwners or agents whose debit cards bear someone else’s name might still need another way to pay under most covered rules.
More detail
Storage yards handling the covered tows and impounds would have to accept valid bank debit cards for towing and storage fees. The covered payers include owners and agents claiming vehicles under the listed towing and impound rules. Some rules also cover insurers and licensed repossessors. In most covered rules, the debit card must bear the name of the person presenting it.
Tow yards, impounding agencies, government agencies, and their agents would count as refusing release if they demand documents beyond those allowed by the listed vehicle release rules. This applies when a lender or other legal owner, or that owner’s agent, claims a vehicle under the listed release rules. The rule excludes vehicles held as evidence by police or prosecutors. Legal owners and agents must still present the documents each release rule allows, such as photo ID and proof of ownership.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 942, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 15Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6962.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2437 Chen Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2437 Chen By Jones. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 30Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).Major
- Aug 30Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 21Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Action rescinded whereby the bill was read third time, passed, and to Assembly.Major
- Aug 20In Senate. Held at Desk.
- Aug 20Ordered to the Senate.
- Aug 20Withdrawn from Engrossing and Enrolling.
- Aug 13Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 6140.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2437 Chen Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 11In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 10Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 5324.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Consent Calendar 2nd. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 4Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Aug 3From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Jun 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 23
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 15From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Major
- May 27Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- May 14In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2437 Chen Consent Calendar Second Day. Result: pass.Lower
- May 14Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 5056.)Passed Assembly
- May 7Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- May 6From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 6).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 20
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 13Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Apr 9From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 17Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Mar 16From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 16Referred to Com. on TRANS.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
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