Traffic violator school: fees.

Existing law requires the clerk of the court to collect a fee from every person who is ordered or permitted to attend a traffic violator school pursuant to specified provisions of law, in an amount equal to the total bail set forth for the eligible offense on the uniform countywide bail schedule. Existing law authorizes the clerk to accept a payment of at least 10% of the required fee upon filing a written agreement by the defendant to pay the remaining amount according to an installment schedule of up to 90 days. Under existing law, the clerk is also required to collect a fee from the person to cover administrative and clerical costs, as specified. This bill would extend the length of the installment payment period to a minimum of 180 days, and would authorize a longer payment schedule if necessary as a result of the defendant's financial circumstances. The bill would require the court to waive the fee if the defendant agrees to perform community service. The bill would delete the requirement for the clerk to collect the administrative and clerical costs fee. Existing law authorizes the court to convert the fee to bail, declare it forfeited, and report the forfeiture as a conviction if a defendant fails to make an installment payment of the fee according to an installment agreement, and authorizes the court to charge a failure to pay and impose a civil assessment, or issue an arrest warrant, for a failure to pay the fee. This bill would delete the court's authorization to issue an arrest warrant for a failure to pay, and would instead authorize a court to take those other actions if a defendant willfully fails to make an installment payment of the fee according to an installment agreement without good cause or if a defendant willfully fails to pay without good cause, respectively.