Bill Text: VA HB620 | 2022 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Criminal cases and traffic infractions; eliminates accrual of interest on fines and costs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-15 - Left in Courts of Justice [HB620 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HB620-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §19.2-353.5 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§19.2-353.5. Interest on fines and costs.
A. For purposes of this
section, "incarcerated" or "incarceration" means confinement
in a local or regional correctional facility, juvenile correctional facility,
state correctional facility, residential detention center, or facility operated
pursuant to the Corrections Private Management Act (§53.1-261 et seq.).
B. No On or after July 1, 2022, no
interest shall accrue on any fine or costs imposed in a criminal case or in a
case involving a traffic infraction (i) for a period of 180
days following the date of the final judgment imposing such fine or costs; (ii)
during any period the defendant is incarcerated; and (iii) for a period of 180
days following the date of the defendant's release from incarceration if the
sentence includes an active term of incarceration.
C. A
person who owes fines and costs on which interest has accrued during a period
of incarceration may move any court in which he owes fines and costs to waive
the interest that accrued on such fines and costs during such period of
incarceration. Upon certification of the period of incarceration by the
superintendent, warden, or other official in charge of a correctional facility
on a form developed by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme
Court, such interest shall be waived.
D. In no event shall
interest accrue during any period in which a fine, costs, or both a fine and
costs are being paid in deferred or installment payments pursuant to an order
of the court. Whenever interest on any unpaid fine or costs accrues, it shall
accrue at the judgment rate of interest set forth in §6.2-302.
B. Any fine or costs imposed in a criminal case or in a case involving a traffic infraction that have accrued any interest prior to July 1, 2022, shall cease to accrue interest on July 1, 2022, and any unpaid interest that has accrued on such fines and costs shall be automatically waived.