2024 Legislative Roundup: Fines and Fees Reform Around the Country
As jurisdictions gear up for the upcoming 2025 sessions, now is the time for advocates to analyze 2024’s fines and fees legislation and strategize for 2025.
News
FFJC Commends Gov. Stitt’s Commitment to Ending Justice Fees and Reforming Court Debt Practices in Oklahoma
Today, Governor Kevin Stitt made a bold commitment in his 2025 State of the State Address to reform fines and fees practices, acknowledging their role in trapping Oklahoma residents in a cycle of debt.
Press Release: Advocates Applaud Legislature and Governor DeWine for Reducing Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions with Passage of HB 29
(Columbus, OH) Today, Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29, legislation that will remove many of the financial barriers that lead to driver’s license suspensions. With the adoption of this …
FFJC Appoints Priya Sarathy Jones as Co-Executive Director
In less than seven years since its founding, the Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) has grown from a conversation across a dining room table into a national bipartisan movement …
Press Release: Amicus Brief Filed In Iowa Supreme Court Low-Income Legal Fees Case
Des Moines, Iowa — Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court allowed the ACLU of Iowa, the Fines and Fees Justice Center, and Public Justice to file an amicus brief in State of …
Budgets Speak Louder Than Words: How Tracking Fines & Fees Revenue Can Reveal Jurisdictions’ Actual Priorities
Tracking fines and fees revenue and expenditures through the budget can not only help advocates hold policy makers accountable, but it can also provide a means for pursuing intentional budget reform.
DOJ’s Dear Colleague Letter is As Relevant As Ever. It’s Time We Remind Courts and Judges.
by: Lisa Foster, Co-Executive Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center The U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly warned state and local courts that their use and collection of court fines …
FFJC Fiscal Analysis Reveals NY State Can Easily Afford to End Predatory Fees
A new analysis of New York’s fee revenue by the Fines and Fees Justice Center has revealed that eliminating court fees would have very little impact on the state’s budget, …
Seven Red Flags in ATE Contracts
By Tanisha Pierrette – Research Analyst – Fines and Fees Justice Center Though often branded as a foolproof solution to safer roads, automated traffic enforcement (ATE) — specifically the fines …