8-2110. Failure to comply with traffic citation; misdemeanor; suspension of driver's license; fees for mailing notice; reinstatement fee; authorized only by legislative enactment; disposition of r

8-2110

Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 21.--UNIFORM ACT REGULATING TRAFFIC; PARTIES, ARRESTS, CITATIONS, PROCEDURES AND PENALTIES

      8-2110.   Failure to comply with traffic citation; misdemeanor; suspension of driver's license; fees for mailing notice; reinstatement fee; authorized only by legislative enactment; disposition of reinstatement fees. (a) Failure to comply with a traffic citation means failure either to (1) appear before any district or municipal court in response to a traffic citation and pay in full any fine and court costs imposed or (2) otherwise comply with a traffic citation as provided in K.S.A. 8-2118, and amendments thereto. Failure to comply with a traffic citation is a misdemeanor, regardless of the disposition of the charge for which such citation was originally issued.

      (b) (1)   In addition to penalties of law applicable under subsection (a), when a person fails to comply with a traffic citation, except for illegal parking, standing or stopping, the district or municipal court in which the person should have complied with the citation shall mail notice to the person that if the person does not appear in district or municipal court or pay all fines, court costs and any penalties within 30 days from the date of mailing notice, the division of vehicles will be notified to suspend the person's driving privileges. The district or municipal court may charge an additional fee of $5 for mailing such notice. Upon the person's failure to comply within such 30 days of mailing notice, the district or municipal court shall electronically notify the division of vehicles. Upon receipt of a report of a failure to comply with a traffic citation under this subsection, pursuant to K.S.A. 8-255, and amendments thereto, the division of vehicles shall notify the violator and suspend the license of the violator until satisfactory evidence of compliance with the terms of the traffic citation has been furnished to the informing court. When the court determines the person has complied with the terms of the traffic citation, the court shall immediately electronically notify the division of vehicles of such compliance. Upon receipt of notification of such compliance from the informing court, the division of vehicles shall terminate the suspension or suspension action.

      (2) (A)   In lieu of suspension under paragraph (1), the driver may submit to the division of vehicles a written request for restricted driving privileges, with a non-refundable $25 application fee, to be applied by the division of vehicles for additional administrative costs to implement restricted driving privileges. The division shall remit all restricted driving privilege application fees to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury to the credit of the division of vehicles operating fund.

      (B)   Upon review and approval of the driver's eligibility, the driving privileges will be restricted by the division of vehicles for a period up to one year or until the terms of the traffic citation have been complied with and the court shall immediately electronically notify the division of vehicles of such compliance. If the driver fails to comply with the traffic citation within the one year restricted period, the driving privileges will be suspended by the division of vehicles until the court determines the person has complied with the terms of the traffic citation and the court shall immediately electronically notify the division of vehicles of such compliance. Upon receipt of notification of such compliance from the informing court, the division of vehicles shall terminate the suspension action. When restricted driving privileges are approved pursuant to this section, the person's driving privileges shall be restricted to driving only under the following circumstances: (i) In going to or returning from the person's place of employment or schooling; (ii) in the course of the person's employment; (iii) during a medical emergency; (iv) in going to and returning from probation or parole meetings, drug or alcohol counseling or any place the person is required to go by a court. The provisions of this paragraph shall expire on January 1, 2012.

      (c)   Except as provided in subsection (d), when the district or municipal court notifies the division of vehicles of a failure to comply with a traffic citation pursuant to subsection (b), the court shall assess a reinstatement fee of $59 for each charge on which the person failed to make satisfaction regardless of the disposition of the charge for which such citation was originally issued and regardless of any application for restricted driving privileges. Such reinstatement fee shall be in addition to any fine, restricted driving privilege application fee, district or municipal court costs and other penalties. The court shall remit all reinstatement fees to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state treasury and shall credit 42.37% of such moneys to the division of vehicles operating fund, 31.78% to the community alcoholism and intoxication programs fund created by K.S.A. 41-1126, and amendments thereto, 10.59% to the juvenile detention facilities fund created by K.S.A. 79-4803, and amendments thereto, and 15.26% to the judicial branch nonjudicial salary adjustment fund created by K.S.A. 2009 Supp. 20-1a15, and amendments thereto.

      (d)   The district court or municipal court shall waive the reinstatement fee provided for in subsection (c), if the failure to comply with a traffic citation was the result of such person enlisting in or being drafted into the armed services of the United States, being called into service as a member of a reserve component of the military service of the United States, or volunteering for such active duty, or being called into service as a member of the state of Kansas national guard, or volunteering for such active duty, and being absent from Kansas because of such military service. In any case of a failure to comply with a traffic citation which occurred on or after August 1, 1990, and prior to the effective date of this act, in which a person was assessed and paid a reinstatement fee and the person failed to comply with a traffic citation because the person was absent from Kansas because of any such military service, the reinstatement fee shall be reimbursed to such person upon application therefor. The state treasurer and the director of accounts and reports shall prescribe procedures for all such reimbursement payments and shall create appropriate accounts, make appropriate accounting entries and issue such appropriate vouchers and warrants as may be required to make such reimbursement payments.

      (e)   Except as provided further, the reinstatement fee established in this section shall be the only fee collected or moneys in the nature of a fee collected for such reinstatement. Such fee shall only be established by an act of the legislature and no other authority is established by law or otherwise to collect a fee. On and after July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, the supreme court may impose an additional charge, not to exceed $10 per reinstatement fee, to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel.

      History:   L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-2110; L. 1982, ch. 46, § 6; L. 1984, ch. 39, § 25; L. 1985, ch. 78, § 2; L. 1990, ch. 43, § 6; L. 1991, ch. 282, § 6; L. 1991, ch. 36, § 24; L. 1994, ch. 351, § 2; L. 2001, ch. 5, § 38; L. 2002, ch. 43, § 1; L. 2006, ch. 215, § 3; L. 2006, ch. 215, § 4; L. 2008, ch. 114, § 1; L. 2008, ch. 150, § 1; L. 2009, ch. 111, § 1; L. 2009, ch. 143, § 4; July 1.