Senate Bill 0200e1

    SB 200                                         First Engrossed



  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to fines and court costs;

  3         creating s. 938.35, F.S.; providing that a

  4         county may assign the collection of fines,

  5         court costs, and other costs imposed by the

  6         court arising from offenses committed in the

  7         county and remaining unpaid after a certain

  8         period to a private attorney or collection

  9         agency under specified circumstances; providing

10         guide lines and procedures; providing

11         attorney's fees to offset collection costs;

12         providing a limitation; providing an effective

13         date.

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15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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17         Section 1.  Section 938.35, Florida Statutes, is

18  created to read:

19         938.35  Collection of court-related financial

20  obligations.--Any provision of law notwithstanding, a county

21  may pursue the collection of any fines, court costs, or other

22  costs imposed by the court which remain unpaid for 90 days or

23  more, or refer such collection to a private attorney who is a

24  member in good standing of The Florida Bar or collection agent

25  who is registered and in good standing pursuant to chapter

26  559. In pursuing the collection of such unpaid financial

27  obligations through a private attorney or collection agent,

28  the governing body of the county must determine that such

29  collection is cost-effective and the county must follow

30  applicable procurement practices. The costs of collection,

31  including a reasonable attorney's fee, may be recovered,


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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    SB 200                                         First Engrossed



  1  except that such fines and costs of collection may not exceed

  2  40 percent of the total fines and costs owed.

  3         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

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