A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to amend the laws governing the revocation of drivers licenses for failure to pay fine, penalty, or costs.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑24.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑24.1.  Revocation for failure to appear or pay fine, penalty or costs for motor vehicle offenses.
(a)	The Division must revoke the driver's license of a person upon receipt of notice from a court that the person was charged with a motor vehicle offense and one of the following occurs:
(1)	The person failed to appear, after being notified to do so, when the case was called for a trial or hearing.
(2)	The person failed to pay a fine, penalty, or court costs ordered by the court, and there is a court order at sentencing supported by findings of fact that the person is able to pay and there is good cause to suspend the person's license if the person fails to pay.
Revocation orders entered under the authority of this section are effective on the sixtieth day after the order is mailed or personally delivered to the person.
(b)	A license revoked under this section remains revoked until one of the following occurs:
(1)	The person disposes of the charge in the trial division in which the person failed to appear when the case was last called for trial or hearing.
(2)	The person demonstrates to the court that the person is not the person charged with the offense.
(3)	The person pays the fine or penalty ordered by the court.
(4)	The person demonstrates to the court that the failure to pay the fine or penalty was not willful and that the person is making a good faith effort to pay or that the fine or penalty should be remitted.
(5)	For revocations under subdivision (a)(2) of this section, 12 months have passed since revocation.
Upon receipt of notice from the court that the person has satisfied the conditions of this subsection applicable to his case, the Division must restore the person's license as provided in subsection (c). In addition, if the person whose license is revoked is not a resident of this State, the Division may notify the driver licensing agency in the person's state of residence that the person's license to drive in this State has been revoked.
(b1)	A defendant must be afforded an opportunity for a trial or a hearing within a reasonable time of the defendant's appearance. Upon motion of a defendant, the court must order that a hearing or a trial be heard within a reasonable time.
(c)	If the person satisfies the conditions of subsection (b) that are applicable to the person's case before the effective date of the revocation order, the revocation order and any entries on the person's driving record relating to it shall be deleted and the person does not have to pay the restoration fee set by G.S. 20‑7(i1). For all other revocation orders issued pursuant to this section, G.S. 50‑13.12 or G.S. 110‑142.2, the person must pay the restoration fee, unless the person is indigent, and satisfy any other applicable requirements of this Article before the person may be relicensed.
(d)	To facilitate the prompt return of licenses and to prevent unjustified charges of driving while license revoked, the clerk of court, upon request, must give the person a copy of the notice it sends to the Division to indicate that the person has complied with the conditions of subsection (b) applicable to the person's case. If the person complies with the condition before the effective date of the revocation, the notice must indicate that the person is eligible to drive if the person is otherwise validly licensed.
(e)	As used in this section and in G.S. 20‑24.2, the word offense includes crimes and infractions created by this Chapter."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑24.2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑24.2.  Court to report failure to appear or pay fine, penalty or costs.
(a)	The court must report to the Division the name of any person charged with a motor vehicle offense under this Chapter who fails to do one of the following:
(1)	Appear to answer the charge as scheduled, unless within 20 days after the scheduled appearance, the person either appears in court to answer the charge or disposes of the charge pursuant to G.S. 7A‑146.
(2)	Pay a fine, penalty, or costs within 40 days of the date specified in the court's judgment.
…."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.