Bill Text: FL S1638 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Reinstatement of Suspended Driver Licenses

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-03-14 - Died in Transportation [S1638 Detail]

Download: Florida-2022-S1638-Introduced.html
       Florida Senate - 2022                                    SB 1638
       
       
        
       By Senator Broxson
       
       
       
       
       
       1-01202-22                                            20221638__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to reinstatement of suspended driver
    3         licenses; creating s. 322.755, F.S.; creating the
    4         Operation Green Light Pilot Program within the
    5         Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to
    6         assist certain persons in reinstating suspended driver
    7         licenses; requiring administration of the program by
    8         clerks of the court in certain counties; authorizing
    9         collaboration with the Florida Association of Court
   10         Clerks and Comptrollers for certain purposes;
   11         providing eligibility requirements; prohibiting
   12         eligibility under certain circumstances; providing
   13         requirements for participation in the program;
   14         providing duties of the clerk of the court and the
   15         department; requiring execution of a written payment
   16         agreement between the clerk of the court and a
   17         participant; providing agreement requirements;
   18         requiring reinstatement of a participant’s driving
   19         privilege under certain circumstances; requiring the
   20         clerk of the court to provide certain documentation to
   21         a participant; requiring maintenance of certain
   22         records; requiring clerks of the court to submit
   23         reports to the department by a specified date;
   24         requiring the department to submit a report to the
   25         Governor and Legislature by a specified date;
   26         providing an effective date.
   27          
   28  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   29  
   30         Section 1. Section 322.755, Florida Statutes, is created to
   31  read:
   32         322.755Operation Green Light Pilot Program.—
   33         (1)There is created within the Department of Highway
   34  Safety and Motor Vehicles the Operation Green Light Pilot
   35  Program. The purpose of the pilot program is to assist persons
   36  whose driver licenses have been suspended and who have unpaid
   37  traffic citations or unpaid court costs, fines, or fees in
   38  reinstating their suspended driver licenses.
   39         (2)The Operation Green Light Pilot Program shall be
   40  administered by the clerks of the court in five counties. Each
   41  clerk of the court may collaborate with the Florida Association
   42  of Court Clerks and Comptrollers to promote and develop
   43  communications regarding the pilot program.
   44         (3)(a)A person is eligible for driver license
   45  reinstatement under the pilot program if his or her license was
   46  suspended due to:
   47         1.Driving without a valid driver license;
   48         2.Driving with a suspended driver license;
   49         3.Failing to make a payment on penalties in collection;
   50         4.Failing to appear in court for a traffic violation; or
   51         5.Failing to comply with any provision of chapter 318 or
   52  this chapter.
   53         (b)Notwithstanding paragraphs (4)(a), (b), and (c), a
   54  person is eligible for driver license reinstatement under the
   55  pilot program if the period of suspension or revocation has
   56  elapsed, the person has completed any required course or program
   57  as described in paragraph (4)(c), and the person is otherwise
   58  eligible for reinstatement.
   59         (4)A person is not eligible for driver license
   60  reinstatement under the pilot program if his or her driver
   61  license is suspended or revoked due to:
   62         (a)Failure to fulfill a court-ordered child support
   63  obligation;
   64         (b)A violation of s. 316.193;
   65         (c)Failure to complete a driver training program, a driver
   66  improvement course, or an alcohol or substance abuse education
   67  or evaluation program required under s. 316.192, s. 316.193, s.
   68  322.2616, or s. 322.271;
   69         (d)A traffic-related felony; or
   70         (e)Designation as a habitual traffic offender under s.
   71  322.264.
   72         (5)The clerk of the court and the Department of Highway
   73  Safety and Motor Vehicles shall verify any information necessary
   74  for driver license reinstatement under the pilot program.
   75         (6)(a)In order to participate in the pilot program, a
   76  person must contact the clerk of the court, in person or by
   77  telephonic or electronic means, and request that the clerk of
   78  the court, for purposes of reinstating the person’s driver
   79  license:
   80         1.Accept payment in full of all outstanding fees and
   81  costs; or
   82         2.Establish a payment plan by which the person may submit
   83  periodic payments to the clerk of all outstanding fees and costs
   84  until such fees and costs are paid in full.
   85         (b)Upon receipt of a request under paragraph (a), the
   86  clerk of the court shall:
   87         1.Determine the total amount of fees and costs owed by the
   88  person. The person must pay the full license reinstatement fee;
   89  however, the clerk may reduce or waive other fees and costs,
   90  except those imposed by the court, to facilitate reinstatement.
   91         2.Determine whether the department has suspended the
   92  person’s license for a reason other than nonpayment of such fees
   93  or costs, including, but not limited to, those violations
   94  enumerated in paragraphs (4)(b)-(e). If so, the clerk shall
   95  inform the person of his or her responsibility to clear all
   96  nonmonetary obligations before becoming eligible for driver
   97  license reinstatement under the pilot program.
   98         3.Except as provided in subparagraph 4., if the person has
   99  requested the establishment of a payment plan, establish the
  100  amount of a down payment and monthly payments, according to the
  101  person’s financial ability, to be submitted to the clerk until
  102  all outstanding fees and costs are paid in full. A down payment
  103  must equal at least 10 percent of the total amount of
  104  outstanding fees and costs.
  105         4.Determine whether submitting payments under a payment
  106  plan will result in the assessment of points sufficient to
  107  suspend the person’s driver license or will result in the
  108  person’s being designated as a habitual traffic offender under
  109  s. 322.264. If so, the clerk, as an alternative to establishing
  110  a payment plan, shall specify a payment order by which the
  111  person may satisfy each outstanding fee and cost until all are
  112  paid in full.
  113         (7)(a)A person who enters into a payment plan or payment
  114  order under subsection (6) must execute a written payment
  115  agreement with the clerk of the court which must provide:
  116         1.The total amount of fees and costs owed by the person.
  117         2.If the person has entered into a payment plan:
  118         a.The down payment amount and monthly payment amount
  119  established under subparagraph (6)(b)3.
  120         b.The date on which each monthly payment is due.
  121         3.If the person has entered into a payment order, an
  122  enumerated list of each payment and the date on which each
  123  payment is due.
  124         4.Notice that payments may be made in person or by
  125  telephonic or electronic means or that the person may elect to
  126  have monthly payments automatically withdrawn from a credit
  127  account or debit account.
  128         5.A statement that noncompliance with the payment plan or
  129  payment order may result in suspension of the person’s driving
  130  privilege.
  131         (b)Upon submission of a down payment or the first payment
  132  in a payment order to the clerk of the court, the clerk shall
  133  release the suspension of the person’s driver license in the
  134  department database or shall issue a written release for the
  135  person to present to the department or an authorized agent of
  136  the department, after which the person’s driving privilege shall
  137  be reinstated.
  138         (c)The clerk of the court must provide the person with a
  139  copy of the written payment agreement entered into under
  140  paragraph (a) and a monthly statement of the balance owed by the
  141  person. The clerk is responsible for maintaining records
  142  relating to each person participating in the pilot program. The
  143  records must include, but are not limited to, the following:
  144         1.The person’s first and last name, date of birth, mailing
  145  address, e-mail address, telephone number, and case number.
  146         2.The total amount of fees and costs owed by the person
  147  before participation in the pilot program.
  148         3.If the person has entered into a payment plan or payment
  149  order, the date on which each payment is due, the date on which
  150  each payment is made, and the amount paid.
  151         4.The current balance owed by the person.
  152         (d)The clerk of the court must send to a person who has
  153  entered into a payment plan or payment order, through automated
  154  telephone message, text message, or e-mail, a reminder notice 4
  155  business days before the next payment is due. If the payment is
  156  not received within 7 business days after the date due, the
  157  clerk must send a second reminder notice. If the payment is not
  158  received within 30 days after the second reminder notice is
  159  sent, the clerk must send to the person, by first-class mail, a
  160  written notice that the person has failed to comply with the
  161  payment plan or payment order and that his or her driving
  162  privilege may be suspended.
  163         (8)(a)By July 1, 2024, each clerk of the court
  164  participating in the pilot program shall submit a report to the
  165  department which includes:
  166         1.The number of cases paid in full.
  167         2.The number of cases put on a payment plan or payment
  168  order.
  169         3.The number of driver license reinstatements.
  170         4.The number of driver licenses made eligible for
  171  reinstatement.
  172         5.The amount of fees and costs collected.
  173         6.The personnel, operating, security, and other
  174  expenditures incurred by the clerk of the court.
  175         7.The number of cases that fail to comply with a payment
  176  plan or payment order and subsequently result in driver license
  177  suspension.
  178         (b)By September 1, 2024, the department shall compile the
  179  reports received under paragraph (a) and submit such reports,
  180  along with a list of its findings and recommendations regarding
  181  the pilot program, to the Governor, the President of the Senate,
  182  and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  183         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.

feedback