PRINTER'S NO. 1689
No. 1514 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY OLASZ, PETRARCA, MICOZZIE, BOYES, MARKOSEK, GIGLIOTTI, MELIO, MERRY, FARGO, PESCI, CLARK, J. TAYLOR, NAILOR, COLAFELLA, DeLUCA, PRESTON, LEDERER, BELFANTI, KASUNIC, BATTISTO AND DERMODY, MAY 3, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MAY 3, 1993
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated 2 Statutes, further providing for the suspension of operating 3 privileges for failure to respond to a citation. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Section 1533 of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania 7 Consolidated Statutes is amended to read: 8 § 1533. Suspension of operating privilege for failure to 9 respond to citation. 10 (a) Violations within Commonwealth.--The department shall 11 suspend the operating privilege of any person who has failed to 12 respond to a citation or summons to appear before an issuing 13 authority or a court of competent jurisdiction of this 14 Commonwealth [or of any state] for any violation of this title, 15 other than parking, or who has failed to pay any fine or costs 16 imposed by an issuing authority or such courts for any violation 17 of this title, other than parking, upon being duly notified [in
1 accordance with general rules] by an issuing authority or a 2 court of this Commonwealth. [There shall be 15 days to respond 3 to such notification before suspension is imposed. The 4 suspension shall be for an indefinite period until such person 5 shall respond and pay any fines and penalties imposed. Such 6 suspension shall be in addition to the requirement of 7 withholding renewal or reinstatement of a violator's driver's 8 license as prescribed in section 1503(c) (relating to persons 9 ineligible for licensing).] 10 (b) Violations outside Commonwealth.--The department shall 11 suspend the operating privilege of any person who has failed to 12 respond to a citation, summons or similar writ to appear before 13 a court of competent jurisdiction of the United States or any 14 state which has entered into an enforcement agreement with the 15 department, as authorized by section 6146 (relating to 16 enforcement agreements), for any violation of the motor vehicle 17 laws of such state, other than parking, or who has failed to pay 18 any fine or costs imposed by such court, upon being duly 19 notified in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction in 20 which the violation occurred. A person who provides proof, 21 satisfactory to the department, that the full amount of the fine 22 and costs has been forwarded to the court shall not be regarded 23 as having failed to respond for the purposes of this subsection. 24 (c) Time for responding to notice.--At least 15 days before 25 an issuing authority or court notifies the department to impose 26 a suspension pursuant to subsection (a), the issuing authority 27 or court shall notify the person in writing of the requirement 28 to respond to the citation and pay all fines and penalties 29 imposed by the issuing authority or court. 30 (d) Period of suspension.--The suspension shall continue 19930H1514B1689 - 2 -
1 until such person shall respond to the citation, summons or 2 writ, as the case may be, and pay all fines and penalties 3 imposed or enter into an agreement to make installment payments 4 for the fines and penalties imposed provided that the suspension 5 may be reimposed by the department if the defendant fails to 6 make regular installment payments. 7 (e) Remedy cumulative.--A suspension under this section 8 shall be in addition to the requirement of withholding renewal 9 or reinstatement of a violator's driver's license as prescribed 10 in section 1503(a) (relating to persons ineligible for 11 licensing). 12 (f) Admissibility of documents.--A copy of a document issued 13 by a court or issuing authority of this Commonwealth or by an 14 official of another state shall be admissible for the purpose of 15 proving a violation of this section. 16 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A25L75RZ/19930H1514B1689 - 3 -