Bill > A809

Introduced Session

This bill eliminates mandatory driver's license suspension as a penalty for various crimes and offenses unrelated to safely operating a motor vehicle. The bill eliminates driver's license suspension as a penalty for convictions of the following crimes and offenses: -crimes for which certain fines, assessments, or restitution are imposed and the defendant is in default without good cause (suspension until past payments are made); -failure to pay motor vehicle violation surcharges (suspension until eight percent of the outstanding surcharges is paid or an installment payment plan is established); -failure to respond to a failure to appear notice or failure to pay a parking judgment (suspension until payment is satisfied); -failure to appear in municipal court (suspension until matter is adjudicated) or failure to satisfy a condition of the sentence, such as pay an assessed fine or perform community service (suspension until condition is satisfied); -failure of an indigent defendant to comply with terms of an installment payment plan for a motor vehicle traffic violation or parking offense; -defaulting on certain financial obligations to the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund (until repaid); and -failure to pay child support upon the issuance of a child support-related warrant. The court retains discretion to suspend the person's driver's license if, after notice and a hearing, the court finds that suspension is warranted. The bill also prohibits the use of arrest as a penalty for unpaid parking tickets and requires the court to notify a defendant who has failed to pay outstanding parking tickets or failed to appear that the penalties for such actions include suspension of motor vehicle registration or the impoundment, immobilization, or possible sale of the person's motor vehicle. The bill also delays the period that a municipality may impound, immobilize, or authorize the sale of a motor vehicle for unpaid parking tickets from 30 days to 90 days.q

Committee Categories

Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  Britnee Timberlake (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee (on 01/11/2022)

Official Document