PRINTER'S NO. 1689

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

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
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     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.










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