OKLAHOMA CITY (6/5/14)--Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin Tuesday signed into law legislation that addresses questionable business practices among the state's tow truck operators, marking the final hurdle for a bill drafted on behalf of Oklahoma credit unions.

SB 0582 requires towing companies to notify lien holders when a vehicle is towed.

The legislation was supported by the Oklahoma Credit Union Association--a subsidiary of the Cornerstone Credit Union League (Leaguer June 4).

"Getting this bill passed was a long haul, and extremely contentious, but in the end, credit unions have persevered," said Nate Webb, association president. "This isn't just a victory for credit unions. It's also a victory for our members who own their credit union."

Oklahoma credit unions have reported instances in which operators will tow a vehicle and store it without timely notification to the lien holder. In cases in which notification was not sent in a timely manner, storage fees accrued and, in many instances, the cost of recovering the car reportedly was more than the collateral.