Relating to court debt resulting from a violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle

Under current law, the department of transportation (DOT) is required to suspend the driver’s license of a person who, upon conviction of violating a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle, has failed to timely pay the criminal fine, penalty, surcharge, or court costs. The clerk of the district court must mail notice to a person who has failed to pay the required court debts and provide days for the person to make the payment. If payment is not received, the clerk of the district court must notify the DOT to initiate the suspension. If after suspension, the person enters into an installment agreement to pay the court debts, the person’s license must be reinstated by the DOT. However, the person’s license may be suspended again if the person is convicted of an additional violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle, or if the person defaults on the installment agreement.210A which provides for the suspension of a driver’s license for failure to pay a fine, penalty, surcharge, or court costs.210B (installment agreements) to only court debt resulting from a violation under Code chapter 321 or 321J relating to the operation of a motor vehicle and requires an installment agreement to be based on the person’s income and ability to pay. In addition, the bill authorizes a person to perform community service work of an equivalent value to the delinquent amount in lieu of paying the delinquent amount.189. The bill requires the clerk of the district court to charge off the remaining balance of any delinquent criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, or court costs owed by a person resulting from a violation of a law regulating the operation of a motor vehicle. Upon charging off the delinquent amount, the criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, and court costs will be considered paid in full. The charge-off provision applies only to such a criminal fine or penalty, surcharge, or court costs deemed delinquent on or before the effective date of the bill. The bill does not affect the DOT’s ability to act against a person’s driver’s license for reasons other than nonpayment of court debt.