H. B. 2397
(By Delegates Miley, Brown, Moore, Wells,
Ferro, Longstreth and Ellem)
[Introduced January 12, 2011; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §17B-3-3a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §50-3-2a of said code, all relating to changes in the time frame that a court notifies the Division of Motor Vehicles when a resident or nonresident person defaults on payment or fails to appear in response to motor vehicle violations.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §17B-3-3a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that §50-3-2a of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 17B. MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVER’S LICENSES.
ARTICLE 3. CANCELLATION, SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
§17B-3-3a. Suspending license for failure to pay fines or penalties imposed by magistrate court or municipal court.
(a) The division shall suspend the license of any resident of this state or the privilege of a nonresident to drive a motor vehicle in this state upon receiving notice from a magistrate court or municipal court of this state, pursuant to subsection (b), section two-a, article three, chapter fifty of this code or subsection (b), section two-a, article ten, chapter eight of this code, that such the person has defaulted on the payment of costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties which were imposed on the person by the magistrate court or municipal court by judgment entered upon conviction of any motor vehicle violation or that such person has failed to respond or appear in court when charged with a motor vehicle violation.
(b) The magistrate court or municipal court shall notify the division upon a default of payment as follows:
(1) For a resident of this state, pursuant to section two-a, article three, chapter fifty of this code:
(A) One hundred eighty days following the date of judgment upon the conviction; or
(B) Fifteen days from the initial appearance date for failure to appear; or
(C) Immediately upon failure to respond to a court hearing.
(2) For a nonresident of this state, after eighty ninety days following the date of judgment upon the conviction the citation was issued.
(c) For the purposes of this section, section two-a, article three, chapter fifty of this code and section two-a, article ten, chapter eight of this code, “motor vehicle violation” shall be is defined as any violation designated in chapter seventeen-a, seventeen-b, seventeen-c, seventeen-d or seventeen-e of this code or the violation of any a municipal ordinance relating to the operation of a motor vehicle for which the violation thereof would result in a fine or penalty. Provided, That any A parking violation or other violation for which a citation may be issued to an unattended vehicle shall is not be considered a motor vehicle violation for the purposes of this section, section two-a, article three, chapter fifty of this code or section two-a, article ten, chapter eight of this code.
CHAPTER 50. MAGISTRATE COURTS.
ARTICLE 3. COSTS, FINES AND RECORDS.
§50-3-2a. Payment by credit card or payment plan; suspension of licenses for failure to make payments or appear or respond; restitution; liens.
(a) A magistrate court may accept credit cards in payment of all costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties in accordance with rules promulgated by the Supreme Court of Appeals. Any Charges made by the credit company shall be paid by the person responsible for paying the cost, fine, forfeiture or penalty.
(b) Unless otherwise required by law, a magistrate court may collect a portion of any the costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties at the time the amount is imposed by the court so long as the court requires the balance to be paid in accordance with a written payment plan which that specifies: (1) The number of payments to be made; (2) the dates on which the payments are due; and (3) the amounts due for each payment. The written agreement represents the minimum payments and the last date those payments may be made. The obligor or the obligor's agent may accelerate the payment schedule at any time by paying any additional portions of any the costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties.
(c)(1) If any the costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution
or penalties imposed by the magistrate court in a criminal case are
not paid within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment
and the expiration of any a stay of execution, the magistrate court
clerk or, upon judgment rendered on appeal, the circuit clerk shall
notify the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles of the
failure to pay. Provided, That In a criminal case in which a
nonresident of this state is convicted of is charged with a motor
vehicle violation defined in section three-a, article three, chapter
seventeen-b of this code, the appropriate clerk shall notify the
Division of Motor Vehicles of the failure to appear, respond or pay
within eighty days from the date of judgment and expiration of any
stay of execution ninety days from the date the citation was issued.
Upon notice, the Division of Motor Vehicles shall suspend any
privilege the person defaulting on payment may have to operate a
motor vehicle in this state, including any a driver's license issued
to the person by the division, of Motor Vehicles, until all costs,
fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties are paid in full.
The suspension shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions
of section six, article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code;
Provided, except that any a person who has had his or her license
to operate a motor vehicle in this state suspended pursuant to under
this subsection and his or her failure to pay is based upon
inability to pay, may, if he or she is employed on a full or part-time basis, petition to the circuit court for an order authorizing
him or her to operate a motor vehicle solely for employment
purposes. Upon a showing satisfactory to the court of inability to
pay, employment and compliance with other applicable motor vehicle
laws, the court shall issue an order granting relief.
(2) In addition to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this
subsection, if any costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or
penalties imposed or ordered by the magistrate court for a hunting
violation described in chapter twenty of this code are not paid
within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment and the
expiration of any a stay of execution, the magistrate court clerk
or, upon a judgment rendered on appeal, the circuit clerk shall
notify the Director of the Division of Natural Resources of the
failure to pay. Upon notice, the Director of the Division of
Natural Resources shall suspend any privilege the person failing to
appear or otherwise respond may have to hunt in this state,
including any a hunting license issued to the person by the
division, of Natural Resources, until all the costs, fines, fees,
forfeitures, restitution or penalties are paid in full.
(3) In addition to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this
subsection, if any costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or
penalties imposed or ordered by the magistrate court for a fishing
violation described in chapter twenty of this code are not paid
within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment and the
expiration of any a stay of execution, the magistrate court clerk
or, upon a judgment rendered on appeal, the circuit clerk shall
notify the Director of the Division of Natural Resources of the
failure to pay. Upon notice, the Director of the Division of
Natural Resources shall suspend any privilege the person failing to
appear or otherwise respond may have to fish in this state,
including any a fishing license issued to the person by the
division, of Natural Resources, until all the costs, fines, fees,
forfeitures, restitution or penalties are paid in full.
(d)(1) If a person charged with any criminal violation of this
code fails to appear or otherwise respond in court, the magistrate
court shall notify the Commissioner of the Division of Motor
Vehicles thereof within fifteen days of the scheduled date to appear
unless the person sooner appears or otherwise responds in court to
the satisfaction of the magistrate. Upon notice, the Division of
Motor Vehicles shall suspend any privilege the person failing to
appear or otherwise respond may have to operate a motor vehicle in
this state, including any a driver's license issued to the person
by the division, of Motor Vehicles, until final judgment in the case
and, if a judgment of guilty, until all costs, fines, fees,
forfeitures, restitution or penalties imposed are paid in full. The
suspension shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of
section six, article three, chapter seventeen-b of this code.
(2) In addition to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this
subsection, if a person charged with any hunting violation described
in chapter twenty of this code fails to appear or otherwise respond
in court, the magistrate court shall notify the Director of the
Division of Natural Resources of the failure thereof within fifteen
days of the scheduled date to appear unless the person sooner
appears or otherwise responds in court to the satisfaction of the
magistrate. Upon notice, the Director of the Division of Natural
Resources shall suspend any privilege the person failing to appear
or otherwise respond may have to hunt in this state, including any
a hunting license issued to the person by the division, of Natural
Resources, until final judgment in the case and, if a judgment of
guilty, until all costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or
penalties imposed are paid in full.
(3) In addition to the provisions of subdivision (1) of this
subsection, if a person charged with any a fishing violation
described in chapter twenty of this code fails to appear or
otherwise respond in court, the magistrate court shall notify the
Director of the Division of Natural Resources of the failure thereof
within fifteen days of the scheduled date to appear unless the
person sooner appears or otherwise responds in court to the
satisfaction of the magistrate. Upon notice, the Director of the
Division of Natural Resources shall suspend any privilege the person
failing to appear or otherwise respond may have to fish in this
state, including any a fishing license issued to the person by the
division, of Natural Resources, until final judgment in the case
and, if a judgment of guilty, until all costs, fines, fees,
forfeitures, restitution or penalties imposed are paid in full.
(e) In every criminal case which involves a misdemeanor
violation, a magistrate may order restitution where appropriate when
rendering judgment.
(f)(1) If all costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or
penalties imposed by a magistrate court and ordered to be paid are
not paid within one hundred eighty days from the date of judgment
and the expiration of any a stay of execution, the clerk of the
magistrate court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county
of nonpayment and provide the prosecuting attorney with an abstract
of judgment. The prosecuting attorney shall file the abstract of
judgment in the office of the clerk of the county commission in the
county where the defendant was convicted and in any county wherein
where the defendant resides or owns property. The clerks of the
county commissions shall record and index the abstracts of judgment
without charge or fee to the prosecuting attorney. and when so
recorded, The amount stated to be owing in the abstract shall
constitute is a lien against all property of the defendant.
(2) When all the costs, fines, fees, forfeitures, restitution or penalties described in subdivision (1) of this subsection for which an abstract of judgment has been recorded are paid in full, the clerk of the magistrate court shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county of payment and provide the prosecuting attorney with a release of judgment, prepared in accordance with the provisions of section one, article twelve, chapter thirty-eight of this code, for filing and recordation pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision. Upon receipt from the clerk, the prosecuting attorney shall file the release of judgment in the office of the clerk of the county commission in each county where an abstract of the judgment was recorded. The clerks of the county commissions shall record and index the release of judgment without charge or fee to the prosecuting attorney.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to modify the time frames for courts to notify the Division of Motor Vehicles of defaults of payment and failures to appear of resident and nonresident persons who have motor vehicle violations in the state.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.