TX DPS proposes lower fines for poor people

Here is your link.

The article is short so I'll just post all of it:

The Texas Department of Public Safety proposed new rules for the state's Driver Responsibility Program to address the financial impact on low-income individuals.

In 2003, the Texas Legislature established a system to assess surcharges based on certain traffic offenses such as failure to maintain insurance, driving while intoxicated, and driving without a valid license.

The new proposal would require reductions on those fines for those who live at or below the poverty level.

College students, illegals, retirees (with their houses and cars paid off), and others are going to love this.

Here is a link for more info on the Driver Responsibility Program.

Here is some of that information:

Q: How does DRP work?

A: Surcharges are assessed using one of two methods.

POINTS: Points are assessed to moving violations classified as Class C misdemeanors. The Department will assign points to a person's driver license as follows upon conviction:

• Two points for a moving violation conviction in Texas or that of another state. Moving violations are defined by 37 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §15.89 which includes a list of those violations that will be assigned points.
• Points will not be assigned for speeding less than 10% over the posted limit or for seat belt violations.
• Child Safety Seat violations will accrue two points.
• Three points are assigned for a moving violation conviction in Texas or another state that resulted in a crash.

The Department will assess a surcharge when the driver accumulates a total of six (6) points or more on their driver record during a three-year period. The surcharge assessment will be reviewed annually. If the driver record continues to reflect six or more points during the prior three-year period, the surcharge will be assessed.

Therefore, drivers may be required to pay for one or more years if six or more points continue to accumulate on the driver record. The driver must pay a $100 surcharge for the first six points and $25 for each additional point. Point surcharges are cumulative and may vary with each annual assessment if convictions are added or removed from the driver record.

OTHER: Surcharges are also assessed for certain convictions as defined by law. The surcharge amount varies based upon the type of violation committed. No points are accessed for these offenses because the surcharge is automatic upon conviction. The offense information and associated surcharges are listed below:

• Driving While Intoxicated or a DWI-related offense
  • First time offense = $1,000
  • Second or subsequent offense = $1,500
  • DWI with Blood Alcohol Content 0.16 or greater = $2,000
• Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility= $250
• Driving While Driver License Invalid = $250
• Driving without a Valid Driver License (i.e. No Driver License, No Commercial Driver License, No Endorsement Violation, No Motorcycle License, Operate with License for other Class Vehicle) = $100

Surcharges, which are cumulative, are automatically assessed for these convictions. For example, an initial conviction for DWI will be assessed $1,000 annually, and a subsequent DWI conviction within the same three-year period will be assessed an additional $1,500 annually.