Bill Summary for H 192 (2015-2016)

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Summary date: 

Mar 10 2015

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2015-2016 Session
House Bill 192 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 10, 2015
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH COMPLIANCE COURT COSTS AND TO DIRECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM FOR THE ELECTRONIC PAYMENT OF COMPLIANCE COURT COSTS.
Intro. by McNeill, Faircloth, Hurley, Glazier.

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Bill summary

Enacts new GS 7A-304.1 for purposes as the title indicates. Lists in subsection (b) of new GS 7A-304.1 the 15 offenses for which voluntary dismissals may be obtained in exchange for the payment of compliance court costs. Such offenses include: no operator's license, an expired license, unsafe tires, inspection violations, child restraint violations, moped and motorcycle helmet violations, and registration violations. Requires the district attorney to provide written notice to any person choosing compliance and payment of court costs that compliance in response to some offenses may constitute a statutory defense to the charge and result in the dismissal of the charge without the payment of any court costs. Effective October 1, 2015, and applies to dismissals granted on or after that date.

Amends subsection (a) of new GS 7A-304.1, effective July 1, 2016, to provide that a person charged for any of the offenses indicated in subsection (b) may choose to provide proof of compliance to the district attorney before or on the scheduled court appearance date, and the district attorney may agree to a voluntary dismissal of the case in exchange for the person's signed waiver of appearance and payment of court costs in the amount of $50 if paid in person to the clerk of court or $10 if paid through the electronic payment system established by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) (was, a flat $50 fee no matter how it was paid.

Directs the AOC, in consultation with specified entities, to develop a procedure for the acceptance of compliance court costs, study the structure for the costs, and establish uniform guidelines as to what constitutes compliance. Specifies additional tasks for the AOC and requires the AOC to report on the development of an electronic payment system to the chairs of the Senate and the House Appropriations committees on Justice and Public Safety, and the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety by May 1, 2016.

Effective October 1, 2015, unless otherwise indicated.