To: Maria Elena Durazo (CA-24), Jerry Hill (CA-13), and Ricardo Lara (CA-33)
I Support SB366 -- Stop Unfair License Suspensions in CA!
California’s system of civil fines and assessments for minor traffic violations is causing significant harm to low income and working families in California. In recent years, legal services programs have seen an increasing number of adults having their driving license suspended because they could not afford the spiraling debt caused by unpaid traffic violations. The DMV reports that as many as 500,000 Californians have lost their driving privileges for this reason. Without a driver’s license a person may not be able to get to work, can lose their job and spiral into a deep hole of poverty that can be difficult to escape.
The reason why there are so many persons with suspended licenses is because courts will not restore the license until all fines and assessments are paid. These amounts can be large because over time the state has placed $373 in fees and assessments on a $100 ticket. If a person misses their court date they receive an additional $300 assessment and must pay this full amount to the court before they can get back in front of a judge to contest either the original violation or the assessment. even if they had a good reason for not being able to attend court. While courts do allow payment plans based on the ability to pay, in many cases the payment plans will take years to pay off. Until the debt is paid off, the license is suspended.
SB 366 proposes modest changes that would allow adults to get their license back if they are meeting the terms of a payment plan or completing community service
• Allowing a person to do community service in their home county in lieu of a payment plan and limit the community service to just the base fine amount.
• Require courts to inform DMV to reinstate a license when they agree to either a payment plan or community service.
• Permit a person to appear before a judge before paying all civil assessments.
• Standardize good cause conditions that allow courts to waive civil assessments.
Sign this petition to tell the members of the California Senate Appropriations Committee to PASS SB 366 and give everyone in California access to driver's licenses and meaningful employment.
The reason why there are so many persons with suspended licenses is because courts will not restore the license until all fines and assessments are paid. These amounts can be large because over time the state has placed $373 in fees and assessments on a $100 ticket. If a person misses their court date they receive an additional $300 assessment and must pay this full amount to the court before they can get back in front of a judge to contest either the original violation or the assessment. even if they had a good reason for not being able to attend court. While courts do allow payment plans based on the ability to pay, in many cases the payment plans will take years to pay off. Until the debt is paid off, the license is suspended.
SB 366 proposes modest changes that would allow adults to get their license back if they are meeting the terms of a payment plan or completing community service
• Allowing a person to do community service in their home county in lieu of a payment plan and limit the community service to just the base fine amount.
• Require courts to inform DMV to reinstate a license when they agree to either a payment plan or community service.
• Permit a person to appear before a judge before paying all civil assessments.
• Standardize good cause conditions that allow courts to waive civil assessments.
Sign this petition to tell the members of the California Senate Appropriations Committee to PASS SB 366 and give everyone in California access to driver's licenses and meaningful employment.
Why is this important?
SB 366 must pass the Senate Appropriations Committee by the end of January to make it to both houses and hopefully become law. SB 366 proposes modest changes to California's traffic courts that would allow adults to get their license back if they are meeting the terms of a payment plan or completing community service. It would also increase access to justice for people who are too poor to pay exorbitant fines just to get in front of a judge.