Bay Area Traffic Courts to Remove Late Fees Under New Law

As of July 1, 2023, traffic courts in the Bay Area will no longer impose late fees on traffic tickets. This change comes as a result of Assembly Bill 199, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2022.

AB 199 was introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) in response to concerns that late fees were disproportionately harming low-income drivers. The law applies to all traffic tickets issued in California, but it will have a particularly significant impact in the Bay Area, where traffic fines are among the highest in the state.

Under the new law, drivers who fail to pay their traffic tickets on time will still be subject to a base fine, but they will no longer be charged additional late fees. The base fine for most traffic tickets is $100, but it can be higher for more serious offenses.

The removal of late fees is expected to save Bay Area drivers millions of dollars each year. It is also expected to reduce the number of drivers who are unable to pay their traffic tickets, which can lead to driver's license suspensions and other penalties.

The change in the law is a victory for advocates who have long argued that late fees are unfair and ineffective. They argue that late fees disproportionately harm low-income drivers, who are less likely to be able to afford to pay their tickets on time. They also argue that late fees do not deter people from committing traffic offenses and that they simply serve as a way for the government to raise revenue.

The removal of late fees is a positive step for drivers in the Bay Area. It will save drivers money and make it easier for them to comply with traffic laws. It is also a step towards a more just and equitable system of traffic enforcement.

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