In today's newscast:
State lawmakers are considering a bill that would require California’s DMV to notify vehicle owners when their towed cars are sold for profit
The new bill comes after reporting from Byrhonda Lyons with our news partner CalMatters.
Lyons found that the Department of Motor Vehicles collected over $8 million from nearly 5,300 cars sold at auction between the start of 2016 through the fall of 2024.
If a car gets towed and isn’t claimed, the towing company then auctions off the car. After paying hauling and storage fees, the DMV keeps the leftover money.
If the car's owner doesn't claim the money within three years, the DMV gets to keep it. Currently, the agency isn't required to notify owners about this money—but the new bill would change that.
"Not only would the agency have to notify vehicle owners about the surplus funds," Lyons reports, but "the notification would have to come within 14 days of the DMV receiving the money."
The bill is slated to appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee this week.
Advocates aren’t happy with plans to address human rights at the World Cup games in LA
Libby Rainey with our news partner LAist reports that a human rights plan is required by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, for each World Cup.
The plans are supposed to help safeguard visitors, workers, and local residents during the tournament.
The guide released by the host committee, which is led by the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission, focuses on already existing laws. Advocates say that plan is inadequate.
"The human rights plan also makes no mention of ICE," Rainey reports, "or what happens if immigration enforcement occurs at or around the tournament."
The LA host committee did not respond to LAist's requests for comment.
