Snag in repeal of abusive driving fees.

By: ericy
Published On: 1/28/2008 11:04:04 PM

The snag is that they want to give relief to people who have already gotten caught by the abusive driving fees.   Recall that these fees are paid in installments over 3 years or so, and originally the legislature was planning to order the courts to not collect the fees.  The AG's office found a Supreme Court ruling from 1878 that  states that such a move would be illegal.

RICHMOND, Jan. 28 -- Efforts to repeal Virginia's abusive-driving fees hit a snag Monday after lawmakers discovered a 130-year-old state Supreme Court ruling that prohibits them from ordering local courts to stop collection of fees or fines that have already been assessed.

Since the fees went into effect July 1, more than 1,000 motorists convicted of felony and misdemeanor driving offenses have been ordered to pay the fees, which are assessed for three consecutive years.


If they had actually spent some time to think it through last year, they wouldn't be in this mess now.

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