The Baltimore County Council voted last night to license and regulate tow truck drivers, but dropped provisions from earlier versions of the bill that would have required impound lots to be open around the clock and equipped with ATMs.

Tow truck operators at the meeting said the amendments to the bill, which passed 7-0, helped ease some of their objections but didn't alleviate their main fear - that the county could use the law to arbitrarily put them out of business.

"It poses a little less restriction, but under this, you're still under the control of the People's Republic of Baltimore County," said Frank Lanahan, who owns County Towing of Catonsville with his wife, Judy.

Council members insisted that they don't intend to put anyone out of business or restrict the rights of property owners to tow unauthorized vehicles, but said they have received dozens of complaints about practices of some towers.

The bill requires towers to make cars on impound lots available within 30 minutes of an owner's call and to accept travelers' checks. It drops a provision requiring they take credit cards and personal checks.

It also bars towing companies from lifting an occupied vehicle.

Thomas Showalter, president of Auto Barn, a Baltimore towing company, said the problem with the law is that it was drafted and will be enforced without input from the industry.

When the city passed similar laws a year ago, he said, it consulted with towers. Complaints there go before a tow board, which has representatives from the industry.