FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Eugene DePasquale D-York www.pahouse.com/DePasquale

DePasquale reintroduces bill to crack down on parking ticket scofflaws

HARRISBURG, March 2 – State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York, recently reintroduced legislation that would help municipalities collect parking fines and fees.

DePasquale said H.B. 737 would mimic current law used by the city of Philadelphia, which enables the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to suspend vehicle registration plates for drivers who have six or more unpaid parking tickets. He said all municipalities across the state should have access to the same enforcement when trying to collect fines and fees from parking scofflaws.

"Since the consequences are minor, there are many people across the Commonwealth who knowingly ignore their parking tickets and do not pay their fines or fees for breaking the law," DePasquale said. "Cities throughout the Commonwealth, not just Philadelphia, are finding it difficult to enforce parking citations, and I think it's only right to expand this law statewide."

DePasquale added that suspending the registration on a vehicle would force the owner to return the license plate to PennDOT. To avoid returning the plate, a driver could go to the appropriate district magistrate, pay his or her fines and other costs and get a certificate validating that the citations have been paid.

"This bill would set its sights on the people who continuously violate the law and do not to pay their outstanding parking tickets," he said. "This will not impact the honest and law-abiding citizens who may forget to pay one ticket on time."

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