CS/HB 1173 Summary

• Requires court clerks to notify persons within 10 days if a civil penalty amount on a traffic citation is incorrect, giving them 30 days to pay the corrected amount.

• Mandates immediate suspension of vehicle registration for first-time failure to pay civil penalties or appear in court; second offenses trigger driver license suspension effective 20 days after notice.

• Establishes community service option for traffic infraction penalties through application process to court clerk, with indigency determined using federal poverty guidelines at 200% threshold, allowing court review of clerk's determination.

• Prohibits issuance or revalidation of license plates to persons with outstanding civil penalties or failure to appear unless receipt of payment is presented.

• Requires motor vehicle dealers to verify driver license validity before finalizing vehicle sales and obtain purchaser attestation if license is suspended/revoked; provides dealer immunity from liability for purchaser actions.

• Effective date: July 1, 2017.