FISCAL NOTE

Senate Bill 117 as introduced prohibits the suspension of a driver license by: 1) the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for failure to appear in court for a traffic violation post adjudication compliance review; and 2) the courts for failure to pay a fine, fee, court cost or restitution as a result of a traffic violation.

This bill also provides that the provisions of the bill are remedial and shall apply retroactively. This would decrease revenues to the State General Fund and the Public Safety Fund, by an undetermined amount, dependent upon the number of reinstated licenses that are provided to individuals that had their driver’s license suspended and request ALEA to reinstate the license at no charge. According to ALEA current reinstatement fees range between $100 and $150 dollars dependent upon the violation convicted of, of which the $150 fee is distributed one-half into the State General Fund and one-half into the Public Safety Fund; and the $100 is distributed two-thirds into the State General Fund and one-third into the Public Safety Fund.

Further the provisions of this bill could also reduce receipts to the various funds that court costs, fines, fees, and restitution are distributed to, by an undetermined amount, dependent upon the number of individuals that fail to pay these court costs, fines, fees, and restitution.

In addition, this bill could increase the administrative obligations of ALEA and the Supreme Court of Alabama, by a small undetermined amount, to adopt rules to implement the provisions of this bill.

Finally, if the provisions of this bill are enacted, federal funds received by ALEA could be decreased by a significant undetermined amount for each year the state is not in compliance with federal law.