Committee weighs H.25 to scale impaired-driver rehabilitation fees to income

Montpelier ' Lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday discussed H.25, a bill that would require the Department of Health's impaired driver rehabilitation program (IDRP) to impose screening and education fees based on an individual's annual gross income compared with the federal poverty level.

The bill would require participants who request a fee reduction to disclose income, direct the Department of Health and the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to adopt rules for a graduated fee schedule and set deadlines for rule adoption and an effective date. The committee took testimony but did not vote on the measure.

Supporters and experts told the committee that IDRP is one of the few interventions shown to reduce impaired-driving recidivism and that current flat fees create a barrier to enrolling and regaining driving privileges. "We very much support this bill. We think this is a very good idea," said Marshall Paul of the Office of the Defender General, who testified that fees make it harder for clients to complete IDRP and get licenses reinstated.

The committee heard…