Under Assembly Bill 672/Senate Bill 495, introduced by Rep. Nancy VanderMeer (R-Tomah) and Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield), would allow a vehicle rental company to hold a renter or driver of a rented vehicle liable for loss of use of the vehicle under certain circumstances. Under these bills, a rental company may hold a renter or driver of a rented private passenger vehicle liable for loss of use that results from an accident for which the renter or driver is cited or charged with inattentive driving, reckless driving, operating while intoxicated, homicide by negligent operation or intoxicated use of a vehicle, or a failure to yield violation that resulted in bodily harm or death. Loss of use would be calculated using the daily rental rate stated in the rental agreement for the vehicle, multiplied by the number of loss-of-use days, not to exceed 30 days.

Little action was taken on these bills this session. SB 495 only received a public hearing before dying in the Senate, and there was no hearing or committee action on AB 672.