The State of Texas in its infinite wisdom decided to fund hospitals on the backs of those who are least able to afford to pay. If you were driving without a license, a suspended license, insurance, or a DWI you would have to pay a surcharge which is nothing more than an additional tax. If you were unable to pay the surcharge, then your driver’s license would be suspended. The State of Texas has now changed this law.
The new law goes into effect on September 1, 2019. Once the new law applies your surcharge balance will become zero. Everyone who has had their license suspended because of failure to pay their surcharge will be able to get a driver’s license.
I would suggest speaking with a qualified attorney to get advice on whether you should continue to pay until September or not.
The downside of this law is that all tickets will go up by at least $20 and if you are convicted of a DWI you will now have a mandatory fine of $3,000-6,000. The only way to avoid that fine is for the judge to rule that you are indigent. Because of this huge fine, it is even more important to get a good lawyer to fight for you if you are charged with a DWI. Check out my blog about DWI deferred probation or information on ways to avoid this fine.
The information in this video and blog is for educational purposes only and is only relevant to the State of Texas. Even though I am a licensed attorney in the State of Texas, I am only providing this information for educational purposes and not for legal advice.
Source: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB2048
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