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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 17, 2013 03:38 PM |
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| From: | Senator Michael J. Stack and Sen. John C. Rafferty, Jr. |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Prohibits the renewal of drivers licenses for persons with habitually delinquent fines, surcharges, etc. |
| Pennsylvania courts are owed $1.6 billion in court costs, fines, fees, and restitution. As a result, Sen. John Rafferty and I will introduce two bills to give people an incentive to pay their outstanding court costs, fines, fees, and other charges. These initiatives will help Pennsylvania Courts collect money they are owed and provide Pennsylvania with a source of revenue to balance the state budget. Both bills will give courts another tool to collect the $1.6 billion they are owed. |
Document #1
Introduced as SB918
| Description: | The first bill would prohibit the renewal of a driver’s license for anyone that has delinquent costs, fines, fees, and restitution imposed by a court of this Commonwealth. Once a person has paid their fines, surcharges, fees, or penalties, the courts shall send a written or electronic notification to PennDOT that a person has paid all fines, surcharges, fees, and penalties owed to the courts. Then, PennDOT may renew a person’s driver’s license. My office has met with Secretary Schoch and many of his key staff members to agree on the parameters of this legislation. This will have a three (3) year look-back period so as not to cast too wide a net. This would also require varification software to be developed and installed so as to verify we are identifying the proper person. Third, and most importantly, this would allocate $400,000 annually from the General Fund to the Motor Licensing Fund in order to pay for ongoing administrative costs for this program. While $400,000 annually may seem like a significant expense, with over $1 billion in unpaid fines, this will more than pay for itself in both the short term and the long term. |
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Document #2
Introduced as SB919
| Description: | The second bill would allow Pennsylvania courts to attach the income, state income tax returns, or lottery winnings of people that have delinquent court costs, fines, fees, and restitution. The legislation allows the courts and offenders to enter into repayment plans or other arrangements to prevent income attachment. Income attachment will not be an option when a party shows and the court finds that there is good cause not to require the attachment. If you would like to co-sponsor this legislation, please call Senator Stack’s office at 7-9608. |
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