SENATE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1689, 2755 PRINTER'S NO. 3159
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
SENATOR STOUT, TRANSPORTATION, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED, FEBRUARY 1, 1994
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. and for lack <-- 4 of financial responsibility. 5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 6 hereby enacts as follows: 7 Section 1. Sections 1533 and 1786(d) SECTION 1533 of Title <-- 8 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are IS amended to <-- 9 read: 10 § 1533. Suspension of operating privilege for failure to 11 respond to citation. 12 (a) Violations within Commonwealth.--The department shall 13 suspend the operating privilege of any person who has failed to 14 respond to a citation or summons to appear before an issuing 15 authority or a court of competent jurisdiction of this 16 Commonwealth [or of any state] for any violation of this title, 17 other than parking, or who has failed to pay any fine or costs
1 imposed by an issuing authority or such courts for any violation 2 of this title, other than parking, upon being duly notified [in 3 accordance with general rules] by an issuing authority or a 4 court of this Commonwealth. [There shall be 15 days to respond 5 to such notification before suspension is imposed. The 6 suspension shall be for an indefinite period until such person 7 shall respond and pay any fines and penalties imposed. Such 8 suspension shall be in addition to the requirement of 9 withholding renewal or reinstatement of a violator's driver's 10 license as prescribed in section 1503(c) (relating to persons 11 ineligible for licensing).] 12 (b) Violations outside Commonwealth.--The department shall 13 suspend the operating privilege of any person who has failed to 14 respond to a citation, summons or similar writ to appear before 15 a court of competent jurisdiction of the United States or any 16 state which has entered into an enforcement agreement with the 17 department, as authorized by section 6146 (relating to 18 enforcement agreements), for any violation of the motor vehicle 19 laws of such state, other than parking, or who has failed to pay 20 any fine or costs imposed by such court, upon being duly 21 notified in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction in 22 which the violation occurred. A person who provides proof, 23 satisfactory to the department, that the full amount of the fine 24 and costs has been forwarded to the court shall not be regarded 25 as having failed to respond for the purposes of this subsection. 26 (c) Time for responding to notice.--At least 15 days before 27 an issuing authority or court notifies the department to impose 28 a suspension pursuant to subsection (a), the issuing authority 29 or court shall notify the person in writing of the requirement 30 to respond to the citation and pay all fines and penalties 19930H1514B3159 - 2 -
1 imposed by the issuing authority or court. 2 (d) Period of suspension.--The suspension shall continue 3 until such person shall respond to the citation, summons or 4 writ, as the case may be, and pay all fines and penalties 5 imposed or enter into an agreement to make installment payments 6 for the fines and penalties imposed provided that the suspension 7 may be reimposed by the department if the defendant fails to 8 make regular installment payments. 9 (e) Remedy cumulative.--A suspension under this section 10 shall be in addition to the requirement of withholding renewal 11 or reinstatement of a violator's driver's license as prescribed 12 in section 1503(a) (relating to persons ineligible for 13 licensing). 14 (f) Admissibility of documents.--A copy of a document issued 15 by a court or issuing authority of this Commonwealth or by an 16 official of another state shall be admissible for the purpose of 17 proving a violation of this section. 18 § 1786. Required financial responsibility. <-- 19 * * * 20 (d) Suspension of registration and operating privilege.--The 21 Department of Transportation shall suspend the registration of a 22 vehicle for a period of three months if it determines the 23 required financial responsibility was not secured as required by 24 this chapter and shall suspend the operating privilege of the 25 owner or registrant for a period of three months if the 26 department determines that the owner or registrant has operated 27 or permitted the operation of the vehicle without the required 28 financial responsibility. The operating privilege shall not be 29 restored until the restoration fee for operating privilege 30 provided by section 1960 (relating to reinstatement of operating 19930H1514B3159 - 3 -
1 privilege or vehicle registration) is paid. Whenever the 2 department revokes or suspends the registration of any vehicle 3 under this chapter, the department shall not restore the 4 registration until the vehicle owner furnishes proof of 5 financial responsibility in a manner determined by the 6 department and submits an application for registration to the 7 department, accompanied by the fee for restoration of 8 registration provided by section 1960. This subsection shall not 9 apply in the following circumstances: 10 (1) The owner or registrant proves to the satisfaction 11 of the department that the lapse in financial responsibility 12 coverage was for a period of less than 31 days and that the 13 owner or registrant did not operate or permit the operation 14 of the vehicle during the period of lapse in financial 15 responsibility. 16 (2) The owner or registrant is a member of the armed 17 services of the United States, the owner or registrant has 18 previously had the financial responsibility required by this 19 chapter, financial responsibility had lapsed while the owner 20 or registrant was on temporary, emergency duty and the 21 vehicle was not operated during the period of lapse in 22 financial responsibility. The exemption granted by this 23 paragraph shall continue for 30 days after the owner or 24 registrant returns from duty as long as the vehicle is not 25 operated until the required financial responsibility has been 26 established. 27 * * * 28 Section 2. This act shall take effect IN 60 DAYS. as <-- 29 follows: 30 (1) The amendment of 75 Pa.C.S. § 1786(d) shall take 19930H1514B3159 - 4 -
1 effect immediately. 2 (2) The remainder of this act shall take effect in 60 3 days. A25L75RZ/19930H1514B3159 - 5 -