Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings today expressed her appreciation to the Delaware General Assembly for its overwhelming and bipartisan passage of Senate Bill 40 and House Bill 67. The two pieces of consumer protection legislation were developed through years of work in the Delaware Department of Justice and with community and stakeholder groups. 

Senate Bill 40, sponsored by Sen. Jack Walsh and Rep. Bill Carson and passed unanimously by the House of Representatives Wednesday, gives the Attorney General stronger tools to protect residents of manufactured home communities from community owners who put their residents’ health and safety at risk by failing to properly maintain their communities. 

“By providing my office with the means to intervene on behalf of those who are being taken advantage of, this piece of legislation will save our constituents time, money, and dignity,” said Attorney General Jennings. “I am deeply grateful to Senator Walsh, Representative Carson, our DOJ staff, and the stakeholders involved for their efforts to get these bills over the finish line.”  

 “Landlords have a responsibility to provide their tenants with a safe, well-tended place to call home,” said Sen. Jack Walsh. “Under current law, residents and homeowners in our manufactured housing communities have limited and costly options for ensuring that this commitment is upheld. Senate Bill 40 gives the Department of Justice the ability to intervene when patterns of neglect occur, ensuring that fairness, accountability, and community safety are the standard for more Delaware residents.”  

 “As home prices continue to rise, more Delawareans are turning to manufactured housing communities for stability,” said Rep. Bill Carson. “We need to make sure they’re treated fairly and have the protections they deserve and HB 40 delivers that. I’m grateful to Senator Walsh for championing this bill and to Attorney General Jennings for her strong support.” 

Wednesday’s legislative session also saw the unanimous Senate passage of HB 67, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski and Sen. Stephanie Hansen. That legislation creates an entirely new set of regulations surrounding documentation, signage, fee, and storage standards for the towing of motor vehicles, enforced by the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Unit. These regulations will crack down on predatory towing practices that have long plagued the unregulated industry. 

“People’s cars are their link to their income, their health care, and their families. When your car is towed it’s vital that you know who towed it, why it was towed, where it is, and how to get it back,” said Attorney General Jennings. “That seems like a simple concept, but the reality is that before this legislation, none of those things were guaranteed. Representative Osienski, Senator Hansen, and DOJ staff’s diligent work to craft this legislation ensures that they will be from now on.” 

“Towing vehicles without the owner’s consent is sometimes necessary, but they should not be unduly punished for it,” said Rep. Ed Osienski. “Unfortunately, many constituents have come to my colleagues and I with concerns about blatantly unfair towing practices. HB 67 will help to address this issue by creating a set of standards for tow drivers and companies to follow so that everyone involved has a clear understanding of the process and the ability to recover their car and belongings without unnecessary obstacles.” 

 “House Bill 67 establishes guardrails and restrictions on the unclear and unreasonable towing practices that have become common throughout our state,” said Sen. Stephanie Hansen. “By requiring transparency, reasonable storage rates, the ability to retrieve personal items from towed vehicles, and providing recourse after unfair violations, we can encourage more residents and visitors to explore the vibrant main streets, historic downtowns, and commercial districts here in Senate District 10 and beyond.”  

The bills now head to Governor Matt Meyer’s desk for his signature. 

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