MS HB289

Authorizes the Commissioner of Public Safety to suspend driver's licenses of individuals who fail to appear in court or dispose of serious traffic violation charges before their scheduled court date

Requires court clerks to send a 30-day notice by first-class mail or postcard to accused individuals before suspending their license for failure to appear; if no response, the clerk must forward the driver's license number to the Driver Services Bureau within 5 days

Allows license reinstatement when the accused schedules a new court date, appears for a hearing or arraignment, or the charge is finally adjudicated and applicable reinstatement fees are paid

Prohibits courts from requiring payment of failure-to-appear fees as a condition for scheduling a new court date

Applies the same suspension procedures to commercial driver's licenses for failure to appear on serious traffic violations, effective July 1, 2026