Parking penalties: collection.

Existing law authorizes an agency that processes unpaid parking penalties and related service fees to collect those penalties and fees pursuant to one of 3 specified options, including filing an itemization of unpaid penalties with the Department of Motor Vehicles for the department to collect the penalties along with the registration of the vehicle. Existing law prohibits the agency from filing that itemization with the department unless, among other conditions, the agency provides a payment plan option for indigent persons that, at a minimum, allows payment of unpaid parking penalties and related service fees in monthly installments for total amounts due that are $300 or less and pays those unpaid parking penalties and fees within 18 months, as specified. This bill would increase the total amount that can be paid in installments to $500 and extend the time in which those penalties and fees can be paid to 24 months. Existing law requires that payment plan for indigent persons to allow a person a period of 60 calendar days from the issuance of a notice of parking violation to file a request to participate in a payment plan, as specified. This bill would require the payment plan for indigent persons to instead allow a person a period of 120 calendar days to file that request. Existing law requires the processing agency to include a link to information on the payment program on its internet website. This bill would require that link to be readily accessible in a prominent location on the parking citation payment section of the agency's internet website.