Georgia booting bill gets key provision removed days ahead of Sine Die
The Brief
The bill aims to regulate Georgia's vehicle booting industry, prohibiting kickbacks to property owners for booting cars, which lawmakers argue incentivizes excessive enforcement.
A key provision was removed from the bill, which would have banned booting companies from monitoring parking lots, a practice critics say leads to predatory behavior.
The revised bill, representing Georgia's first serious attempt at regulating the booting industry, is set for a final Senate vote before potentially reaching the governor's desk by the April 4 deadline.
ATLANTA - A bill aimed at reining in Georgia's vehicle booting industry took another step forward Monday.
However, it was not without losing a key provision along the way.
If signed into law, the bill would also make it illegal for property owners to receive kickbacks when cars are booted — a practice lawmakers argue creates an incentive for excessive enforcement.
What they're saying
The legislation, sponsored by State Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Fulton County), passed the Senate last week and cleared the House with changes that weakened its original scope. The most significant blow came when House lawmakers voted to strip out a measure that would have banned booting companies from monitoring parking lots — a practice critics argue leads to predatory behavior. "You go out to eat or go out for a concert or something or you just go to a store, four minutes later you come back to a boot on your car," McLaurin said, pointing to what many Metro Atlanta drivers say is a common experience.
Despite the setback, McLaurin said the bill still represents a meaningful step forward, marking the state's first serious attempt at regulating the booting industry. "This bill would put booting companies at the same space as the towing companies are," McLaurin said. "DPS would have the ability to set reasonable rates or take away license of companies that are acting out of line."
McLaurin called the removed provision crucial to curbing abuses but said he remains committed to reform: "If booting companies continue to prey on consumers, I'll continue to push for change."
The other side
Opponents of the bill, including booting company operators and consultants, argued during a Senate Public Safety Committee hearing last March that allowing companies to monitor lots is essential to preventing parking chaos. "If you take that away there's gonna be chaos. There's got to be a better way than just killing it and not letting them patrol," said Dan Schafstall, director of operations for Executive Parking Services.
David Moore, a parking consultant, downplayed the need for restrictions, saying, "Boots are reversible, booters should be allowed to patrol and it really is not an issue…it's not the bug issue that they would have you believe."
What's next
The revised bill now heads back to the Senate for a final vote later this week. If approved, it will go to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk. Lawmakers face an April 4 deadline, known as Sine Die, to pass the bill this session.
The Source
FOX 5's Joi Dukes spoke to state Sen. Josh McLaurin and Dan Schafstall, director of operations for Executive Parking Services. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
America Has Theories on Whether Trump-Elon Musk Feud Is All Fake
After President Donald Trump's beef with Tesla CEO Elon Musk practically broke the internet, Americans are wondering if all the drama was meant to deflect from one crucial piece of legislation: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Act. Others, however, don't think the president is smart enough to pull it off. Let's get into it. After passing in the House by the skin of it's teeth, the GOP spending bill is headed to the Senate, drawing mixed reviews from Democrats and Republicans alike. With major cuts to Medicaid– which Trump promised he wouldn't do– questionable AI regulations, permanent taxes cut to the wealthy, adding trillions to the national debt and much more, Trump's Big Beautiful Bill Act is anything but beautiful, and more folks should be paying attention. But alas, they're not… And after last week's blow up between him and Musk, many online have theories that the Trump and Musk battle got people watching the wrong fight. 'This Trump-Musk fight seems like a distraction,' @d_originalone noted on June 5. Another user pointed out the suspicious timing of the feud coinciding with the bill. 'Elon Musk sitting on Epstein information and only releasing it because him and trump aren't friends makes him just as disgusting as Trump,' @namenonew started. 'It's all a distraction & greed tactic folks.' Even CNN host Audie Cornish noted 'there's a billion-dollar bill at stake—but all eyes are on the fight between two billionaires.' She continued, 'Medicaid, SNAP, and foreign policy are all in the balance, yet headlines focus on Musk and Trump.' 'Who gives a rat's ass bout a fake feud between 2 Nazis,' @kenyadad12 boldly tweeted before adding the real concern should be 'this bill GOP pushing through that will allow trump to ignore contempt orders from the courts.' Although many are convinced Trump's alleged scheme is to divert Americans from the dangers of the tax bill with the drama of the century, there's no way to exactly know if that's the president's real plan. But, you can't put anything past the man, who is known for his antics and divisive nature. On TikTok, @omekongo listed Trump's travel ban to 12 different countries, a recent abortion directive endangering pregnant people nation-wide and most importantly, that 'big, ugly tax bill' as reasons for Trump's alleged smoke and mirrors trick on America. Other folks online don't want to give Trump and Musk any credit for allegedly scheming to deter from the real issues plaguing the country. 'There's no master plan, no distraction; they're just impulsive fascist idiots,' @LivForJReeves10 said on X. @trustno1evah on TikTok said no matter how hard Trump might try to pull the wool over Americans' eyes, they're not doing a good job at it. 'This Trump and Musk fallout is all a staged LIE,' she said. The bill itself is over 1,000 pages long, tackling any and everything under the sun while still checking off key points in the MAGA rulebook, 'Project 2025.' With legislation this long and tedious, it's not shocking Americans won't be able to digest the full impact the bill will have on their lives. In fact, even House Republicans like Ga. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene and Neb. Rep. Mike Flood admitted to skimming over key points in the vital tax legislation. If the very people elected to read and review proposed legislation have confessed to being unaware of the very small, fine print, then Americans should probably be paying even closer attention to what's at stake.
New York Post
27 minutes ago
- New York Post
Rep. Elise Stefanik blasts NYS Democrats' ‘radical' agenda in Albany as she eyes run for governor
ALBANY – Potential gubernatorial candidate Rep. Elise Stefanik blasted Democrats during a Capitol visit Monday — as state lawmakers try to ram through free-spending policies at the close of the legislative session. 'Here we are, another year, another failed, radical, reckless agenda and legislative session in New York State,' Stefanik said at a news conference, flanked by state Republican minority leaders Rob Ortt (R-Niagara) and Will Barclay (R-Oswego). 'They have put New York last with this massive, bloated, $254 billion budget. It is anti-worker, anti-family, anti-farm, anti-small business, anti-manufacturer and anti-law enforcement,' Stefanik said. 3 Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) – a potential 2026 gubernatorial contender – rallied with Republicans in Albany Monday. Vaughn Golden/NY Post The high-ranking House Republican from New York ripped into Democrat-pushed initiatives that include loosening requirements on programs to release potentially violent offenders from prison, restricting the deployment of natural gas infrastructure, and a $10 million legal defense fund for Attorney General Letitia James amongst others. Stefanik — an ally of President Trump — is eyeing a run against Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026 and is already gaining momentum after a fiery speech on Staten Island last week where the North Country lawmaker asked gathered Republicans, 'Are we ready to fire Kathy Hochul next year in the State of New York?' State Democrats staged their own press conference earlier Monday ahead of Stefanik's appearance at the Capitol, criticizing federal Republican lawmakers and Trump's 'big, beautiful' bill spending plan. 'This budget bill is actually ugly and devastating and it's painful,' Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) said, citing an estimate that it could lead to $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid over two years. The Democrats – holding signs with estimates of the Washington GOP's budget bill's impacts to hospital and Medicaid funding in localities across the state – framed the federal proposal as a direct attack on blue states like New York. 'This so-called big beautiful bill they're pushing isn't just bad policy, it's a direct attack on middle class families,' Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) said. 3 Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester) called for a repeal of the SALT cap, but also pushed back against proposed cuts to Medicaid programs. Vaughn Golden/NY Post Heastie and Stewart-Cousins, however, wanted Republicans to go further to completely eliminate a cap on how much state and local taxes middle and upper-income New Yorkers can write off on their federal returns. The cap would be lifted in the Republicans' bill from $10,000 to $30,000. 'Anything less than a full repeal is not a win for New York,' Heastie said. But Stefanik credited New York Republicans in the federal government for the increase. 'I'm sure you also didn't hear from them any proposal on how they're going to cut taxes for New Yorkers, and they just want to blame it on SALT,' Stefanik said. 3 Gov. Kathy Hochul is already facing a primary challenge ahead of her 2026 reelection bid. Stephen Yang Ortt labeled his colleagues across the aisle as 'hypocrites.' 'Don't let the hypocrites get away with it. I'm not gonna, Barclay's not gonna, and bet your ass Congresswoman Stefanik's not gonna,' Ortt said. A spokesperson for Hochul declined to comment and referred The Post to a statement released by the state Democratic Party. 'While Stefanik lies to her constituents' faces about her and Trump's plan to gut Medicaid, New Yorkers see right through it – and they know Governor Hochul's budget puts money back in their pockets, cuts taxes for the middle class, and makes our streets and subways safer,' Addison Dick, a spokesperson for the Democrats, said.
New York Post
44 minutes ago
- New York Post
Controversial tax credit to save Downtown Manhattan on verge of getting renewed: sources
The push by real estate dealmakers for Albany to renew a controversial tax-credit critical to saving Downtown Manhattan turned into a real 'cliffhanger' – but appears poised for approval, The Post has learned. The citywide Relocation Employment Assistance Program and a similar one specifically for Lower Manhattan, known as LM-REAP, provide tax credits of up to $3,000 per employee to companies that relocate from out of the city or from parts of Manhattan to designated areas in the outer boroughs or to Downtown Manhattan. Tens of thousands of jobs and the future of scores of Lower Manhattan office buildings would be at risk if the little-known REAP programs were not renewed when they expire on June 30, according to landlords and business advocates. 3 Tens of thousands of jobs and the future of scores of Lower Manhattan office buildings would be at risk if the little-known REAP programs were not renewed when they expire on June 30, according to landlords and business advocates. Christopher Sadowski The measures were left out of the state's budget plan announced in April and appeared doomed as lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly were set to escape for their summer break. But there was movement on an extension over the weekend, a knowledgeable Albany source told The Post on Monday. 'It finally got key approvals in the Assembly, and it's looking good tomorrow in the Senate, which was where the hangup was,' the source said. Michael Gianaris, the State Senate Deputy Majority Leader from Queens, among others, had argued that REAP cost the city too much in foregone taxes — up to $33 million by 2033, according to the Department of Finance — to justify the economic benefits the additional jobs would bring. 3 Michael Gianaris, the State Senate Deputy Majority Leader from Queens, had argued that REAP cost the city too much in foregone taxes to justify the economic benefits the additional jobs would bring. Hans Pennink But renewing the program 'is critical to COVID recovery, preserving affordable office space and promoting job growth in small and medium-size businesses,' argued a rep for the Alliance for Downtown. Supporters say LM-REAP costs the city a negligible $5 million a year — a pittance weighed against the tax benefits it helps generate in property and incomes taxes, although those figures are harder to quantify. REAP began in 1987 to stem an exodus of tenants to New Jersey. The Lower Manhattan plan, launched in 2003, is credited with supporting 16,000 city jobs and helping to lease hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space in a market that's had more downs than ups since 9/11. One source predicted a fresh wave of flight to New Jersey if REAP is allowed to die. 'They're actively recruiting New York businesses with programs offering up to $8,000 per job and $250,000 relocation grants. It's clear that if New York steps back, New Jersey will step in,' the source said. The REAP renewals, as well as creation of a new program called the Relocation Assistance Credit for Employees (RACE), are backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. But fearing that the measures would be allowed to die, local congressional representatives threw their voices into the fray. 3 The REAP renewals are backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Lev Radin/Shutterstock Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Ritchie Torres, Thomas Suozzi and Adriano Espaillat wrote to State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stweart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie that with 'record high office vacancies downtown, 'Now is not the time to end LM-REAP.' The REAP programs have also brought jobs to Dumbo, MetroTech and the Navy Yard in Brooklyn and to Long Island City in Queens. But the heat's mostly on Lower Manhattan, where more than 20% of nearly 90 million square feet of offices in the nation's second-largest commercial district stand vacant — and it might get worse. 'I believe the numbers being cited for current and future vacancies are too low, especially on Water Street,' said one Downtown executive who asked for anonymity told The Post. 'The REAP program is essential to keeping downtown competitive.'
