Bill that would ban booting cars moves forward in Georgia legislature

ATLANTA - A proposed bill to ban companies from booting cars across Georgia is one step closer to becoming law.

Senate Bill 247 got the green light Wednesday and is now moving on to the Senate Rules Committee.

State Sen. John McLaurin sponsored the bill in the Senate, saying many booting services in his district operate using questionable - and sometimes predatory - practices.

"The whole idea is that this is a practice that has been overused and abused, and it’s not something that’s done fairly,"  said McLaurin, who represents north Fulton County. 

He told FOX 5 while in some cases, the cause for booting a car is legitimate, he knows the frustration when that's not the case all too well. 

"In some cases, drivers are trapped for hours at a time. They might pay fines of upwards of $75, hundreds of dollars, and I’ve heard stories of people being booted in their own parking lots in their own apartment complexes," the senator said.

SB 247 would make it illegal for booting services to attach the device to any car with a fine of up to $1,000.

In its current form, local governments would also not be allowed to boot cars as a means of parking enforcement. McLaurin believes ticketing is just as good of an option.

"We’ll find an alternative that works for property owners," the senator said. "But in the meantime, booting’s gotta go."

So far the bill has received bipartisan support - leaving McLaurin confident that even if it's not passed during this year's legislative session, it'll be back on the docket next year.