HB0350 Summary

• Courts must determine a defendant's ability to pay criminal and traffic assessments before ordering them, with discretion to reduce or waive assessments if the defendant cannot afford them.

• One hour of public or community service credits toward assessment amounts at the value of one hour of work at the applicable minimum wage (State minimum wage or municipal minimum wage, whichever is greater), as published annually by the Director of Labor.

• Courts may extend probation, conditional discharge, or supervision periods if assessments remain unpaid after the original supervision period ends, unless the defendant completes approved community service or substance abuse treatment programs.

• Courts may suspend assessment collection if defendants enter court-approved substance abuse intervention or treatment programs and pay for program costs; successful completion allows reduction of the assessment by amounts paid toward the program.

• Unpaid assessments accrue delinquency fees of 5% after 30 days, 10% after 60 days, and 15% after 90 days, with these fees deposited into the Circuit Clerk Operations and Administration Fund.