What's happening
This bill prohibits courts from suspending or canceling licenses for failure to pay mandatory surcharges or fees.
Why it matters
Protects individuals from losing their driving or professional licenses solely due to inability to pay court surcharges or fees,. reducing the risk of a financial penalty turning into a barrier for employment or basic mobility.
Addresses the cycle of debt and punishment,. where people unable to pay fines might otherwise face escalating consequences (like license suspension) that make it harder to earn income needed to pay those debts.
Shifts focus from punitive enforcement to more equitable treatment,. ensuring that non-payment of mandatory fees does not automatically result in loss of essential privileges, which can disproportionately affect low-income individuals.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Stop License Suspensions for Fees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6459
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to prohibiting the use of an inmate's fund to pay unpaid fees and surcharges
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 60.30 of the penal law, as added by chapter 791 of the laws of 1967, is amended to read as follows: § 60.30 Civil penalties.
1. This article does not deprive the court of any authority conferred by law to decree a forfeiture of property, [suspend or cancel a license,] remove a person from office, or impose any other civil penalty and any appropriate order exercising such authority may be included as part of the judgment of conviction.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section, the court may not suspend or cancel a license for the failure to pay a mandatory surcharge or fee imposed by this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10022-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.