PRINTER'S NO. 2515
No. 1979 Session of 1987
INTRODUCED BY FOX, MRKONIC, RAYMOND, MORRIS, J. L. WRIGHT,
MICOZZIE, SERAFINI, CIVERA, FISCHER, BOWSER, BROUJOS, FLICK,
BURD, E. Z. TAYLOR, COLAFELLA, LINTON, CORNELL, SIRIANNI,
LUCYK, TRELLO, MELIO AND PETRONE, NOVEMBER 17, 1987
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, NOVEMBER 17, 1987
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, providing for additional penalties for failure to
3 maintain financial responsibility.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Sections 1784 and 1785 of Title 75 of the
7 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
8 § 1784. Proof of financial responsibility following violation.
9 (a) General rule.--A defendant who is convicted of a traffic
10 offense, other than a parking offense, that requires a court
11 appearance shall be required to show proof of financial
12 responsibility covering the operation of the vehicle at the time
13 of the offense. If the defendant fails to show proof of
14 financial responsibility, the court shall notify the department
15 of that fact. Upon receipt of the notice, the department shall
16 revoke the registration of the vehicle. If the defendant is the
17 owner of the vehicle, the department shall also suspend the
1 operating privilege of the defendant.
2 (b) Civil penalty.--In addition to the sanctions provided
3 for in subsection (a), the department shall, upon receipt of
4 notice that the defendant has failed to show proof of financial
5 responsibility, impose a civil penalty upon the defendant. For
6 the first such offense, the penalty shall be $250; for the
7 second offense, the penalty shall be $500; and for the third or
8 any subsequent offense, the penalty shall be $1,000. Payment of
9 the civil penalty so imposed shall, in addition to the
10 conditions imposed by sections 1783 (relating to proof of
11 financial responsibility before restoring operating privilege or
12 registration) and 1960 (relating to reinstatement of operating
13 privilege), be a condition for the restoration of the applicable
14 registration and operating privilege.
15 § 1785. Proof of financial responsibility following accident.
16 (a) General rule.--If the department determines that the
17 owner of a motor vehicle involved in an accident requiring
18 notice to a police department pursuant to section 3746 (relating
19 to immediate notice of accident to police department) did not
20 maintain financial responsibility on the motor vehicle at the
21 time of the accident, the department shall suspend the operating
22 privilege of the owner, where applicable, and the department
23 shall revoke the registration of the vehicle.
24 (b) Civil penalty.--In addition to the sanctions provided
25 for in subsection (a), the department shall, upon determination
26 that the owner of the vehicle involved in the accident did not
27 maintain financial responsibility, impose a civil penalty upon
28 the defendant. For the first such offense the penalty shall be
29 $250; for the second offense, the penalty shall be $500; and for
30 the third or any subsequent offense, the penalty shall be
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1 $1,000. Payment of the civil penalty so imposed shall, in
2 addition to the conditions imposed by sections 1783 (relating to
3 proof of financial responsibility before restoring operating
4 privilege or registration) and 1960 (relating to reinstatement
5 of operating privilege), be a condition for the restoration of
6 the applicable registration and operating privilege.
7 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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