OUTSTANDING PARKING VIOLATION CITATIONS
Senate Bill 478 (proposed substitute H-1)
Sponsor: Sen. David Hildenbrand
House Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate Committee: Transportation
Complete to 12-4-17
SUMMARY:
Senate Bill 478 would amend Section 321a of the Michigan Vehicle Code (MCL 257.321a) to delete provisions that under current law will, beginning January 1, 2018, increase from 3 to 6 the number of unanswered parking violation citations that can lead to the denial of a driver license issuance or renewal. (Under the bill, the number of such citations would remain 3.)
Section 321a of the Code authorizes the court to notify a person who has failed to answer a certain number of parking violation citations that he or she has 10 days to appear before the court and that, if he or she does not, the Secretary of State will be notified of that failure to appear. The Secretary of State must deny issuance of a driver license or renewal of a license to a person about whom they receive such a notice, until the person has resolved the citations and paid a $45 driver license clearance fee.
Public Act 13 of 2012 amended Section 321a to reduce from 6 to 3 the number of unanswered parking violation citations that can trigger the notice from the court and potential denial of a driver license. Provisions were included in Public Act 13 of 2012 that are currently set to return the number from 3 to 6 beginning January 1, 2018.
Senate Bill 478 would remove these last-described provisions and would keep at 3 the number of unanswered parking violation citations that can lead to the denial of a driver license issuance or renewal, as described above.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Since the bill would extend current law by eliminating the sunset placed on it, any fiscal impact would occur only if the bill were not enacted and the law reverts back to what it was prior to Public Act 13 of 2012.
If the bill is not enacted, local governments would be subject to decreases in revenue from not being able to collect on as many outstanding debts from parking violations due to there being weaker incentives for drivers to pay the amounts. Also, if the bill is not enacted, there may be a minimal decrease in revenue to the Secretary of State and various units identified in Section 321a(11) to the extent that fewer license clearance fees are issued following the denial of a license issuance or renewal.
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Cnossen
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.