The report, “Towed Into Debt,” found that the top three reasons for towing — unpaid parking tickets, expired car registration or parking in a legal spot for more than 72 hours — disproportionately impacted low-income Californians, causing many of them to permanently lose their vehicle. The report, which included data on city-ordered towing practices across California, was released Monday.

San Francisco Assemblyman David Chiu is taking action on these findings: He introduced Assembly Bill 516 on Monday. If passed, the bill would repeal the three towing policies he and advocates say are “poverty tows.”

“If you don't have the money to pay your parking tickets or to update your registration, the idea that the state should be able to deprive you of the most valuable economic asset you have, which will cause you to lose your job, your livelihood or even your only shelter, doesn't make any sense to me,” he said in announcing the legislation at a San Francisco tow lot.

According to the report, vehicles impounded for the three offenses are up to six times more likely to be sold by towing companies than the average towed car. Cars that aren’t retrieved within 30 days are put up for auction in lien sales to offset the debt.