Gillespie Driver’s License Suspension Bill Signed into Law
HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Keith Gillespie (R-Hellam), that allows Pennsylvania’s courts to suspend the driver’s license of any defendant failing to pay full restitution to victims of driving-related offenses, was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Tom Corbett.
“In many cases involving driving-related infractions, judges order the defendant to pay a large amount of restitution to the victim,” said Gillespie. “Act 146 of 2012 gives the courts a tool for ensuring that restitution is paid and victims are made whole.”
Under previous Pennsylvania law, a minimum 50 percent of payments were required to be made by a defendant toward restitution. There are, however, instances where an outstanding restitution balance remains owed to a crime victim. Act 146 adds restitution to Section 1533 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, which deals with suspension of driving privileges and currently prevents a defendant’s driver’s license from being suspended once court costs and state fines on a driver-related offense have been paid.
Gillespie credited York County Clerk of Courts Don O’Shell for pushing the legislation forward. He noted that inYork County alone, more than $3 million in restitution is owed in driving under the influence and other vehicle code violation cases.
“Act 146 provides Pennsylvania courts with a critical collection enforcement measure to pursue more than $90 million in driver offense-related restitution owed statewide,” said Gillespie. “I am grateful to my colleagues in the House and Senate for their overwhelming support of this much-needed measure.”
State Representative Keith Gillespie
47th District, Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Scott Little
slittle@pahousegop.com
717.260.6137