CHILD SUPPORT: LICENSE SUSPENSION H.B. 5503 (H-1): FLOOR SUMMARY
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House Bill 5503 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Kenneth Kurtz
House Committee: Families and Children's Services
Senate Committee: Families and Human Services

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:

-- Require the Secretary of State to suspend a person's driver license immediately upon notice from the Friend of the Court (FOC) that the person had failed to appear for a hearing, comply with a repayment plan order, or respond to a license suspension notice under the Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act.
-- Require a suspension order to remain in effect until the person obtained a certificate from the FOC showing that he or she was complying with the custody, parenting time, or support order, had paid the circuit court clerk a $45 driver license clearance fee, and (as currently required) paid the license reinstatement fee.
-- Require the circuit court clerk, for each driver license clearance fee, to send $30 to the county treasurer for deposit in the county FOC fund and $15 to the Secretary of State.


The Code requires the Secretary of State to comply with a suspension order issued under the Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act. The Secretary of State must suspend the driver license of a licensee within seven business days after receiving the suspension order. The bill would replace these provisions.


The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 100. (That bill would make a number of amendments to the Support and Parenting Time Enforcement Act. Among other things, the bill would require the Friend of the Court to notify the Secretary of State if a support payer had failed to request or attend a hearing on a proposed license suspension or pay an arrearage in full.)


MCL 257.321c Legislative Analyst: Suzanne Lowe

FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed driver license clearance fee would be in addition to the current $85 license reinstatement fee, which the Secretary of State for costs associated with suspending a license and removing a suspension. Of the proposed additional $45 fee, the SOS would receive $15 to help with those costs. In FY 2007-08, there were 2,115 transactions involving the reinstatement of driver licenses related to child support. Assuming an estimated 2,100 cases are reinstated each year, the additional revenue to the SOS from the proposed driver license clearance fee would be an estimated $31,500 annually. The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.


Date Completed: 12-10-09 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco

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. hb5503/0910 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.