RICHMOND
State lawmakers took a first step Wednesday toward repealing the unpopular abusive-driver fees that were approved last year by the General Assembly as part of a broad transportation funding package.
After a lengthy debate, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee sent a bill that would repeal the fees to the Finance Committee.
The fees can be as much as $3,000 for drivers convicted of motor-vehicle-related felonies.
Initially, 10 bills related to ending the so-called bad-driver fees were before the committee.
Democrats supported provisions that called for providing refunds to ticketed motorists who already had been assessed the abusive-driver fees since they were first instituted last summer.
Republicans favored including an emergency clause to abolish the fees immediately after being signed into law. Without that clause, the abusive-driver fees would not end until July 1.
“By voting against adding an emergency clause to the abolition of the abusive-driver fees,” said Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, who introduced a bill with that provision, Democrats “only perpetuate this monstrosity.”
Sen. Edward Houck, D-Spotsylvania, said he wants the fees to be repealed immediately, but he worries that including an emergency clause would hurt the bill’s chances of passing.
Instead of the simple majority normally needed to approve a bill, the emergency clause would require that 80 percent of lawmakers approve, legislators said.
The bill that advanced out of the courts committee Wednesday contained no emergency clause or a refund to drivers already assessed the fees.
Democrats said an emergency clause could be added later in the process.
Sen. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, said that isn’t the way lawmakers should operate.
“You don’t say, 'Vote for the bill now in the bad shape so we can put it in good shape later on,’ ” he said. “Quite candidly, I am at a loss for what the concern is. If we think there’s an emergency clause that should be on it, we should put an emergency clause on it.”
The abusive-driver fees were part of the roughly $3 billion transportation funding package approved last year. Drivers convicted of infractions ranging from misdemeanors such as reckless driving to felony motor vehicle violations can be assessed abusive-driver fees, which are paid in three installments.
The fees are projected to generate about $65 million annually by fiscal year 2010. So far, $13.5 million in fees have been assessed and $4.8 million has been collected, said Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax.
The fees have been highly unpopular.
An online petition that supports their repeal had 177,745 signatures as of Wednesday evening.
And several legal challenges of the fees have been heard in Virginia courtrooms.
Houck, whose repeal bill advanced, said an intense outcry from the public about the fees “has made it clear that they want no part of it, and I think we ought to abolish it.”
The move to repeal the fees also has support from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who spoke in support of that idea during his recent State of the Commonwealth address.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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Make the penalties tougher!
We should just start permanently revoking driving privileges for these offenses. Is that a good enough deterrent? I was never worried about paying one of these fines, I don't speed or drive drunk. Apparently most of you would rather not have to face a harsh fine as a penalty for doing these things. Also, assuming this was was just a revenue scheme, do you think killing this law will stop the state from passing some other stupid law to make up for the 'shortfall'? Trust me, it will show up somewhere else. At least with the current law we have something that resembles a deterrent, even if that was not the intent. The only thing that needs to be tweeked here is to make it apply to all drivers, not just VA residents.
Mob Rule is alive in Virginia
Looks like it's time to start recalling politicians. I guess everybody in Virginia figures it will be someone else who pays the bill! Talk about MOB RULE!
Bid to repeal bad-driver fees
I have always understood that having a drivers license is a privilege and not a personal right in Virginia. Though the charges for wreckless driving may seem excessive, loosing your drivers license would certainly be worse and that is what the State of Virginia should stay in it's place. Driving at wreckless speeds in my opinion is equally as dangerous as DUI...they both cause serious wrecks and unnecessary deaths. For those of you out there that feel that you have the right to drive your vehicles at neck-breaking speeds (and you know who you are-you are the same driver that slams on his breaks when a police officer comes into sight so you know that you are breaking the law) you should loose your privilege to drive and that would certainly resolve this issue!
Stolle said what?
No he did not. He did not say that it was wrong to vote for legislation they know is flawed only to fix it later? Isn't that what they did when they created the illegal taxportation authority? Every politician touted how lousy this legislation was, but voted for it anyway. Such a tool.
CYOA
Here we go, the back peddling begins. Now that citizens have been very outspoken on the abusive driver fees, politicians, are saying, "they won't vote for me, if we don't fix the mess we made". They should have got it right the first time. Richmond, the idea is to get drivers on buses and trains and off the roads, not raping them financially when they go faster than they should on our roadways. TRANSPORTATION, write it on a sticky pad, and look at it everyday. This is what our region needs. It must be safe (transit police), it must be convienent (parking areas for cars at train stops, ie. Long Island RailRoad) and it must serve the needs of everyone. Let's not spend money on a good looking ghost train.
Lean times ahead
I guess attorneys will have to reduce the attorneys fees charged to handle reckless driving cases. The past year or so has been a boon for traffic attorneys. Maybe it will stall due to the emergency clause and the good times will continue a bit longer.
Are the VOTERS paying attention?
I hope everyone that is legible to vote is paying attention and realizes the effect their votes can have. It's time to make your voice heard by voting out all incumbents next election cycle. Keep in mind that this bill didn't get there without them and now they are trying to make excuses for not getting rid of it. The idiot Chris Jones is an example of what happens when an elected representative looses touch with their constituents. The idiot Chris Jones is a prime example of why we need term limits. The "Abusive Driver Fees" are meant to be revenue producers not a deterrent for law breakers. Fines are meant to be deterrents of law breakers and not revenue producers. The "Abusive Driver Fees" transform our policemen to revenue producers (salesmen) and our courts to collection agencies. I don't think that's the way our founders intended it to be.
Refunds?
Now, do the poor souls that received a ridiculous fine get their money back? Do we as tax payers get our money back that was wasted by frivolous law makers that have derelict their responsibility by creating such weak legislation and not finding Real solutions to Real problems, like transportation. What a pathetic sham! Let's see, Bad Driver Fees, Baggy Pants, and Now we also going to waste money on a frivolous pursuit of Bull Parts located on trucks and repealing ignorant, poorly designed legislation!.? Get a grip Richmond. Here's what's important transportation, transportation, transportation, transportation...