Committee advances bill to streamline collection of court costs and fines

A state House committee voted to advance House Bill 34-30 on a motion to report the measure as do pass, after lawmakers debated whether the bill changes how court costs and fines are labeled and collected.

The sponsor described the bill as a cleanup aimed at "shoring up the collections process," saying collections "are actually down a few percent" and that clearer procedures would help support sheriffs’ offices and the courts. "They're run into some hiccups," the sponsor said during questioning.

Members pressed several legal points. One lawmaker asked how the bill's wording interacts with existing references to a "cost judgment" and Title 28 procedures that in the past were tied to incarceration; the sponsor said they could not answer every technical question on the spot and offered to follow up and to involve the sheriff's association and other stakeholders.

Michael Maxwell of the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association told the committee that the statute permits collection agencies to be used and that a 20% collection fee has been in law since 2006. Maxwell said there has not been incarceration tied to these changes since a 2018 statutory change unless willful nonpayment is proven.

During the hearing members also said they expected to strike language that would suspend a driver's license for failures tied to payment plans; the sponsor indicated the sheriff's association had requested that change and that it was likely to be removed if the bill moves forward.

After the discussion the committee voted to report HB 34-30 as do pass. The report recorded the result in committee as 11 to 1 in favor.

Next steps: The bill will move to the House floor, where sponsors and opponents can offer further amendments.