Bill Text: VA SB603 | 2012 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Driver's licenses; allows suspension of or refusal to renew of prisoners who do not pay fees.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2012-04-18 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0829) [SB603 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2012-SB603-Enrolled.html
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §§ 46.2-320 and 63.2-1941 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding sections numbered 46.2-320.1 and 46.2-320.2 and by adding in Article 6 of Chapter 3 of Title 53.1 sections numbered 53.1-127.3, 53.1-127.4, and 53.1-127.5 as follows: § 46.2-320. Other grounds for refusal or suspension.
§ 46.2-320.1. Other grounds for suspension; nonpayment of child support. A. The Commissioner may enter into an agreement with the Department of Social Services whereby the Department may suspend or refuse to renew the driver's license of any person upon receipt of notice from the Department of Social Services that the person (i) is delinquent in the payment of child support by 90 days or more or in an amount of $5,000 or more or (ii) has failed to comply with a subpoena, summons, or warrant relating to paternity or child support proceedings. A suspension or refusal to renew authorized pursuant to this section shall not be effective until 30 days after service on the delinquent obligor of notice of intent to suspend or refusal to renew. The notice of intent shall be served on the obligor by the Department of Social Services (a) by certified mail, return receipt requested, sent to the obligor's last known addresses as shown in the records of the Department or the Department of Social Services; or (b) pursuant to § 8.01-296, or service may be waived by the obligor in accordance with procedures established by the Department of Social Services. The obligor shall be entitled to a judicial hearing if a request for a hearing is made, in writing, to the Department of Social Services within 10 days from service of the notice of intent. Upon receipt of the request for a hearing, the Department of Social Services shall petition the court that entered or is enforcing the order, requesting a hearing on the proposed suspension or refusal to renew. The court shall authorize the suspension or refusal to renew only if it finds that the obligor's noncompliance with the child support order was willful. Upon a showing by the Department of Social Services that the obligor is delinquent in the payment of child support by 90 days or more or in an amount of $5,000 or more, the burden of proving that the delinquency was not willful shall rest upon the obligor. The Department shall not suspend or refuse to renew the driver's license until a final determination is made by the court. B. At any time after service of a notice of intent, the person may petition the juvenile and domestic relations district court in the jurisdiction where he resides for the issuance of a restricted license to be used if the suspension or refusal to renew becomes effective. Upon such petition and a finding of good cause, the court may provide that such person be issued a restricted permit to operate a motor vehicle for any of the purposes set forth in subsection E of § 18.2-271.1. A restricted license issued pursuant to this subsection shall not permit any person to operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined in § 46.2-341.4. The court shall order the surrender of the person's license to operate a motor vehicle, to be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of § 46.2-398, and shall forward to the Commissioner a copy of its order entered pursuant to this subsection. The order shall specifically enumerate the restrictions imposed and contain such information regarding the person to whom such a permit is issued as is reasonably necessary to identify him. C. The Department shall not renew a driver's license or terminate a license suspension imposed pursuant to this section until it has received from the Department of Social Services a certification that the person has (i) paid the delinquency in full; (ii) reached an agreement with the Department of Social Services to satisfy the delinquency within a period not to exceed 10 years, and at least one payment representing at least five percent of the total delinquency or $600, whichever is greater, has been made pursuant to the agreement; (iii) complied with a subpoena, summons, or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding; or (iv) completed or is successfully participating in an intensive case monitoring program for child support ordered by a juvenile and domestic relations district court for noncustodial parents, as determined by the court. Certification by the Department of Social Services shall be made by electronic or telephonic communication and shall be made on the same work day that payment required by clause (i) or (ii) is made. D. If a person who has entered into an agreement with the Department of Social Services pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection C fails to comply with the requirements of the agreement, the Department of Social Services shall notify the Department of the person's noncompliance and the Department shall suspend or refuse to renew the driver's license of the person until it has received from the Department of Social Services a certification that the person has paid the delinquency in full or has entered into a subsequent agreement with the Department of Social Services to satisfy the delinquency within a period not to exceed seven years and has made at least one payment of $1,200 or five percent of the total delinquency, whichever is greater, pursuant to the agreement. If the person fails to comply with the terms of a subsequent agreement reached with the Department of Social Services pursuant to this section, without further notice to the person as provided in the subsequent agreement, the Department of Social Services shall notify the Department of the person's noncompliance, and the Department shall suspend or refuse to renew the driver's license of the person. A person who has failed to comply with the terms of a second or subsequent agreement pursuant to this subsection may be granted a new agreement with the Department of Social Services if the person has made at least one payment of $1,800 or five percent of the total delinquency, whichever is greater, and agrees to a repayment schedule of not more than seven years. Upon receipt of certification from the Department of Social Services of the person's satisfaction of these conditions, the Department shall issue a driver's license to the person or reinstate the person's driver's license. Certification by the Department of Social Services shall be made by electronic or telephonic communication and shall be made on the same work day that payment required by this subsection is made. § 46.2-320.2. Other grounds for suspension; nonpayment of fees owed to local correctional facilities or regional jails. A. The Commissioner may enter into an agreement with a local correctional facility or regional jail whereby the Department shall suspend or refuse to renew the driver's license of any person upon receipt of notice from the local correctional facility or regional jail that (i) the person is delinquent in payment of fees imposed under § 53.1-131.3, (ii) a judgment for such fees has been issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, and (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction has, for good cause, ordered the suspension or nonrenewal of the driver's license of the person in accordance with the provisions of this section. A suspension or refusal to renew authorized pursuant to this section shall be effective upon notice to the Department by the local correctional facility or regional jail. Notification to the Department by the local correctional facility or regional jail shall be made by electronic communication, which shall include copies of the judgment and court order for suspension or nonrenewal of the person's driver's license and provide the person's most current mailing address. B. The Department shall not renew a driver's license or terminate a license suspension imposed pursuant to this section until it has received from the local correctional facility or regional jail a notification that the person has (i) paid the delinquency in full or (ii) reached an agreement with the local correctional facility or regional jail to satisfy the delinquency within an acceptable period. Notification to the Department by the local correctional facility or regional jail shall be made by electronic communication and shall be made on the same work day that the payment or agreement required by clause (i) or (ii) is made. C. Any person whose license is suspended pursuant to subsection A may petition the district court of the jurisdiction where he resides or wherein the jail or correctional facility is located for the issuance of a restricted driver's license for a period not to exceed one year for any of the purposes set forth in subsection E of § 18.2-271.1. The district court may, for good cause shown, issue such a restricted permit. § 53.1-127.3. Deferred or installment payment agreement for unpaid fees; suspension of privilege to operate a motor vehicle. If a person is unable to pay in full the fees owed to the local correctional facility or regional jail pursuant to § 53.1-131.3, the sheriff or jail superintendent shall establish a deferred or installment payment agreement subject to the approval of the general district court. As a condition of every such agreement, a person who enters into a deferred or installment payment agreement shall promptly inform the sheriff or jail superintendent of any change of mailing address during the term of the agreement. The sheriff or jail superintendent shall give notice to the person at the time the deferred or installment payment agreement is entered into and the person shall certify on a form prescribed by the local correctional facility or regional jail that he understands that upon his failure or refusal to pay in accordance with a deferred or installment payment agreement, the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended pursuant to the provisions of § 46.2-320.2. § 53.1-127.4. Suspension of privilege to operate motor vehicle for failure to pay fees. No suspension of driving privileges shall be issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles for failure or refusal to provide for immediate payment in full of fees imposed under § 53.1-131.3 or for failure to make payments under a deferred or installment payment agreement unless the sheriff or jail superintendent has (i) entered into an agreement with the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to § 46.2-320.2, (ii) has obtained a judgment and court order for suspension or nonrenewal issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, and (iii) has provided to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles electronic notice of such judgment or default and court order and the person's most current mailing address. The provisions of this section shall apply to all unpaid fees imposed under § 53.1-131.3 provided the sheriff or jail administrator or other entity under a contract pursuant to § 53.1-127.5 informs the person who owes the fees and receives signed certification of understanding at the time the deferred or installment payment agreement is entered into that upon failure or refusal to pay in accordance with the payment agreement the person's privilege to operate a motor vehicle shall be suspended pursuant to the provisions of § 46.2-320.2. § 53.1-127.5. Collection of fees owed; contract for collection; duties of Department of Taxation. The sheriff or jail superintendent may (i) contract with private attorneys or private collection agencies, (ii) enter into an agreement with a local governing body, or (iii) enter into an agreement with the county or city treasurer, upon such terms and conditions as may be established by guidelines promulgated by the Board, to collect fees imposed under § 53.1-131.3. As part of such contract, private attorneys or collection agencies shall be given access to the social security number of the person who owes the fees in order to assist in the collection effort. Any such private attorney or collection agency shall be subject to the penalties and provisions of § 18.2-186.3. The fees of any private attorney or collection agency shall be paid on a contingency fee basis out of the proceeds of the amounts collected. However, in no event shall such attorney or collection agency receive a fee for amounts collected by the Department of Taxation under the Setoff Debt Collection Act (§ 58.1-520 et seq.). A local treasurer undertaking collection pursuant to an agreement with the sheriff or jail superintendent may collect the administrative fee authorized by § 58.1-3958. § 63.2-1941. Additional enforcement remedies. In addition to its other enforcement remedies, the Division of Child Support Enforcement is authorized to: 1. Attach unemployment benefits through the Virginia Employment Commission pursuant to § 60.2-608 and workers' compensation benefits through the Workers' Compensation Commission pursuant to § 65.2-531; and 2. Suspend an individual's driver's license pursuant to
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