RESPONSIBILITY FEE: LIC. REINSTATEMENT S.B. 1034:
SUMMARY AS ENACTED
Senate Bill 1034 (as enacted) PUBLIC ACT 203 of 2012
Sponsor: Senator Dave Hildenbrand
Senate Committee: Transportation
House Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill amended the Michigan Vehicle Code to increase from one to three the number of times a person's driver license may be reinstated after being suspended for failure to pay a driver responsibility fee, until April 1, 2013.
The bill took effect on June 27, 2012.
Under the Code, an individual who commits specific vehicle-related violations must be assessed a driver responsibility fee. The fee is $150, $200, or $1,000, depending on the violation, and must be assessed by the Secretary of State (SOS) for two consecutive years. In addition, an individual who accumulates at least seven points on his or her driving record within a two-year period for other violations must be assessed a $100 fee. For each point above seven, an additional $50 fee must be assessed.
The SOS must notify an affected individual of the driver responsibility assessment by regular mail. If payment is not received within 30 days after the notice is mailed, the SOS must send a second notice indicating that if payment is not received within the next 30 days, the person's driving privileges will be suspended. The SOS also may authorize payment by installment for up to 24 months.
If payment is not received or an installment plan is not established within the 30-day period, the SOS must suspend the person's driving privileges until the assessment and any other fees prescribed under the Code are paid. If the Code does not otherwise require the individual's license to be denied, suspended, or revoked, the SOS must reinstate the person's driving privileges if he or she requests an installment plan and makes proper payment. If the person establishes a payment plan but fails to make full or timely payments, the SOS must suspend his or her driving privileges.
The SOS may reinstate a person's license under these provisions only once. Under the bill, until April 1, 2013, the SOS may reinstate the license up to three times.
Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
There may be an unknown positive fiscal impact on the Department of State as a result of drivers' paying up to two additional license reinstatement fees of $125 each. The majority of these fees goes toward paying for the costs associated with reinstating a driver license. According to the Department of State, there may be additional costs associated with having to reprogram its software to allow for up to three reinstatements versus one reinstatement; however, these additional costs will be paid from the additional reinstatement fees collected. The number of people who will reinstate their driver licenses up to three times under the provisions of the bill is unknown; therefore, a dollar figure on the amount of additional revenue the Department may expect is indeterminate.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.