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Committee approves bill to allow judges to intercept state tax refunds for unpaid fines and fees
Summary
Senate Bill 260 would let judges, under narrow statutory conditions, issue orders to intercept a defendant’s state income tax refund to satisfy unpaid court fines, fees and costs. Sponsors said the authority is a targeted tool after other collection efforts fail; committee approved the bill.
Senator Joshua Bryant (presenting) said Senate Bill 260 would give judges an additional collection tool to recover backlogged fines, fees and court costs by allowing a court, after specified findings, to intercept a defendant’s state income-tax refund. Bryant told the committee that district courts are dealing with substantial unpaid balances and that current civil-judgment procedures to collect are cumbersome and underused.
Bryant said the bill is not a first resort but an additional remedy available when a judge finds the defendant knowingly failed to comply with payment terms and no other mitigating…
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