2016 -- H 7638

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LC004499

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- COURT

ADMINISTRATION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Solomon, Coughlin, Shekarchi, Craven, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 8-15-9.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-15 entitled "Court

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Administration" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     8-15-9.3. Public inspection of court payments owed. -- (a) Notwithstanding any other

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provision of law, the director of the finance section on a quarterly basis shall prepare a list of the

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persons who owe court imposed or court related fees, fines, court costs, assessments, charges

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and/or any other monetary obligations due and owing to the state which have been unpaid for a

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period in excess of ninety (90) days from the date that any such amounts were due and are not the

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subject of a court-ordered payment plan in good standing. (The above fees are hereinafter referred

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to as "Overdue Court Fees".) The list shall contain the name and address city or town and state of

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each person who owes Overdue Court Fees as of the end of the quarter, together with the total

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amount owed, and the date that the Overdue Court Fees were imposed and the date they became

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due of disposition. No person owing Overdue Court Fees shall be included on such list if the

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underlying matter in which Overdue Court Fees were imposed, or the amount of the fees, is the

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subject of an appeal.

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      (b) The director of finance shall not include a person's name on the list unless he or she

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has given the person at least thirty (30) days prior written notice of the intent to include the

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person's name on the list. Said notice shall be sent to the person's last known address by regular

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mail. If during said thirty (30) day period, the person pays the overdue court fines in full, the

 

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name of the person shall not be included on the list.

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      (c) Any such list prepared by the director of finance shall be available to the public for

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inspection and shall be published on the website that is maintained by the courts; . Provided

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provided, however, that any such list prepared by the director shall not include any individuals

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social security number or driver's license number.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- COURT

ADMINISTRATION

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     This act would remove the thirty (30) day mail notice requirement which must be

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provided to those owing overdue court fees due prior to their names being published.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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