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Bill passes to let courts hire collection agencies for fines

  • The Associated Press
Having a record expunged usually requires filing a petition at trial courts like the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

 Sarah Kovash / WESA

Having a record expunged usually requires filing a petition at trial courts like the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

(Harrisburg) — Common pleas and magisterial district judges would be allowed to hire private collection agencies to pursue overdue court fines and costs under a bill approved Friday by the Pennsylvania Legislature.

The bill that passed the House by a 109-92 vote would apply after a defendant fails to appear for a court hearing on the status of restitution and other court-related financial costs.

Collection agencies would be allowed to retain up to 25% of the amount they recover. A Senate analysis projects it could bring in a few million dollars in the short term and hundreds of millions a year after that.

Backers say much of the unpaid costs are traffic fines from people who live in other counties and therefore have a reduced motivation to pay what they owe.

State court officials say there are about 65,000 cases that owe money, a total of some $16.3 million. The overdue costs and fines are growing by about $1.6 million a year, according to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.

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