Title
Consider and take action to approve a resolution suspending participation in the scofflaw program for the collection of fines arising from the League City municipal court and terminating the interlocal agreements with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and Galveston County (Assistant City Manager)
Background:
Approval of this item will suspend the City’s participation in the scofflaw program. In January 2013, in an effort to enhance the collection of municipal court fines, the City entered into interlocal agreements with Galveston County and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles in order to participate in the Galveston County Tax Assessor Collector’s office scofflaw program as allowed under the Texas Transportation Code, Section 702.003. This program allows the City to transmit information related to individuals with outstanding warrants for traffic violations to the County Tax Assessor Collector. When that person attempts to register or re-register a vehicle, that transaction cannot take place until the warrant is cleared. The agreement with the County is set to renew for a successive two-year term on October 2, 2016.
Municipal Court Collection Process
This program was established to supplement the municipal court's collection processes. Individuals with unpaid warrants receive notifications from the City by mail and automated phone call. In addition, the City has contracted with the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS). An individual with failure to appear warrants outstanding will not be able to renew their driver's license. A $30 administrative fee for each complaint or citation reported to TDPS is assessed to the defendant; the City of League City retains $4 of this fee, with $26 remitted to TDPS. The City also enters warrant information into Southeast Texas Crime Information Center (SETCIC), which allows agencies in Southeast Texas to share information regarding individuals with outstanding warrants. Further, the City has cont...
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