According to a Fines & Fees Justice Center analysis, most clerks were not even using the 2 percent rule of an individual’s annual net income. While Florida’s statutes have allowed for payment plans that take into account an individual’s income, it varies widely amongst local clerks. This practice has contributed to millions of Floridians with suspended driver’s licenses, with most suspensions typically lasting at least two years. In 2017, Florida suspended the driving privileges of roughly half a million people for failure to pay non-criminal traffic violations.Ĭurrently, the state uses suspensions as a compliance tool to collect payment for such traffic citations - for example, running a red light or having an expired tag. This approach is counterintuitive: it creates a barrier to work, which reduces the likelihood that someone will be able to pay, and it increases the likelihood of recidivism. Florida courts rely heavily on driver’s license suspension as a punishment for nonpayment of court fines and fees.
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