House of Representatives

HB 2345

court fees and costs

Sponsors: Representative Voss

 

dpa

Committee on Judiciary

x

Committee on Appropriations

 

Caucus and COW

 

Third Read

This bill as introduced contains a PROP 108 clause.

 

As Passed the House

 

HB 2345 establishes new court fees to be imposed on criminal, civil and traffic violations.

 

Current Status

As amended in the Judiciary Committee, HB 2345 authorizes a court to reduce the new ten-dollar fee proportionately to a waiver of the underlying fine.

 

History

In October 2001, the Judicial Department volunteered a budget reduction plan in line with the Governor’s call for four percent.  The plan offered up $5.2 million to meet the state revenue shortfall, almost half of which (nearly $2 million) was money the courts have held in escrow for automation and justice integration projects.  The budget plan enacted by the legislature ultimately pared 4.5 percent from the Judicial Department budget.

 

Provisions

§         Establishes a ten-dollar fee on criminal offenses, civil traffic violations, motor vehicle offenses and violations of Arizona’s Game and Fish laws.

ü      Requires 20 percent of the collected fees to be used by the court and the remaining 80 percent to be deposited in the Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund.

ü      Prohibits a judge from waiving or suspending the fee.

ü      Authorizes a court to contract with public agencies or private entities to assist in the collection of fines, fees and other assessed penalties and to add reasonable costs charged by these agencies to the underlying debt.

§         Establishes a 12 dollar fee on civil filings in the superior court.

ü      Requires 50 percent of the collected fees to be used by the court and the remaining 50 percent to be deposited in the Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund.

§         Establishes a three dollar fee on civil filing fees in the justice court.

ü      Requires the collected fees to be deposited in the Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund.

§         Removes specific fees that are no longer in use by the court.

§         Contains a Prop 108 clause.

 

HB 2345 was amended in the Judiciary Committee as follows:

§         Authorizes the court to reduce the new ten-dollar fee proportionately to a waiver of the underlying fine.

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§         45th Legislature              

§         Second Regular Session  2          February 6, 2002

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