FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5464

                                  C 266 L 87

BYSenate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators Halsan and Nelson)

Authorizing district courts to collect fines through credit cards and collection agencies.

Senate Committee on Judiciary

House Committe on Judiciary

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Courts of limited jurisdiction may use collection agencies in an attempt to collect unpaid fines and forfeitures.  However, before a debt may be assigned to a collection agency, there must be an attempt to advise the debtor of the existence of the debt and that it may be assigned to a collection agency thirty days after notice is sent to the debtor.

The fines and forfeitures which are collected by district courts, including those collected by collection agencies, are to be remitted monthly to the county treasurer.  Thirty-two percent of this money is then sent to the State Treasurer.  The remainder of the funds received by the county is to be deposited in the county's current expense fund.

SUMMARY:

Courts of limited jurisdiction are allowed to use collection agencies under chapter 19.16 RCW to collect unpaid public debts including penalties on infractions, criminal fines, costs, assessments, civil judgments or forfeitures.  These courts may enter into agreements with one or more attorneys or collection agencies for collecting unpaid penalties, fines, costs, assessments and forfeitures.  The agreements may specify the scope of work, remuneration and other appropriate charges. Monies paid for remuneration to collecting attorneys, collection agencies, or in the case of credit cards, to financial institutions may be imposed as court costs by the court.  The delinquencies are not considered to be assigned debts when collection agencies or attorneys are employed to collect them but the court retains control of them.  Courts of limited jurisdiction may also use credit cards for billing and collecting paid and unpaid fines and forfeitures.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    49     0

      House 87  10 (House amended)

      Senate    47     0 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987