Traffic Ticket Amnesty Program Now Open

The Traffic Amnesty Program that began on October 1st will help qualifying individuals by reducing their outstanding court-ordered debt by 50 or 80 percent and making it easier for drivers to have their suspended licenses reinstated. For current information regarding this program please visit the amnesty program website. The website was updated this week to include additional tools to assist in the implementation of the statewide traffic tickets/infractions amnesty program.

On multiple occasions we have provided information regarding the passage and implementation of the 2015 Traffic Amnesty Program. The Judicial Council has done an incredible job putting together FAQs and additional outreach information.

New resources include:

• A Frequently Asked Questions document, structured to align with the Judicial Council-approved guidelines, which highlights those questions and issues most often presented to our team.
• Templates for customizing flyers/posters, including options for the reduction and driver’s license hold release (pending), for posting in local facilities.Detailed instructions to assist in the completion of the quarterly collections report.
• Link to the Spanish translation of the Public FAQs.Reference to SB 405 legislation, which would affect the “last payment date” for the reduction option.

These materials will be updated as appropriate as the program progresses, particularly the FAQs, so be sure to check back periodically for regular updates.To help facilitate community discussions on amnesty related questions and concerns, you are encouraged to use the Revenue & Collections list serve (RevenueCollectionsNetwork@listserve.com).

Sign up options:
If you aren’t a list serve member, please subscribe through Serranus here: http://serranus.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/finance/rev_listserv.htm.For county representatives, please subscribe by contacting Linda Culpepper at linda.culpepper@jud.ca.gov.Should you have additional questions related to this program please direct them to amnesty@jud.ca.gov.
In addition, Governor Brown signed SB 405 on September 30, 2015. The bill adds clarifying information to the traffic amnesty program and addresses courts’ imposition and collection of payments including civil assessments for court appearances.

Here is a summary of SB 405’s impacts on local collections programs:
Amnesty impacts

• 1. SB 405 defines the word “currently” to help define amnesty eligibility. Specifically, the bill changes the word “currently” in section 42008.8(g)(7) to a specific date, September 30, 2015. With the Governor’s signature and enactment into law, SB 405 clearly states that a person who made payments to a comprehensive collection program on otherwise eligible court-ordered debt after September 30, 2015 is not eligible for an amnesty reduction.
• 2. SB 405 permits the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Department of Motor Vehicles and within existing resources, to consider, adopt, or develop recommendations for dealing with people who have amnesty violations in more than one county.

• 1. SB 405 extends from 10 days to 20 days after a court mails a warning notice to a defendant that the civil assessment becomes effective for a failure to appear in court, or failure to pay a court-ordered fine pursuant to Vehicle Code section 40510.5. Right now, after 10 days, the civil assessment goes into effect and goes on the defendant’s record. If the defendant appears in court with good cause for the failure to appear or pay within the 10 days, the civil assessment may be vacated. With the Governor signing the bill this process will now be extended to 20 days.
• 2. SB 405 states a defendant shall not be required to pay the bail, fine, penalty, fee, or civil assessment as a prerequisite to the court vacating the civil assessment. Additionally, like the rule of court adopted this year for contesting traffic cases without deposit of bail, payment of the civil assessment is not required to schedule a day in court to address the original underlying charge.