Governor Approves Bill Aimed At Collecting Unpaid Fines

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI- If you have any unpaid fines, a newly approved bill is targeted towards collecting that debt.

Anyone who owes money to a local government and is due a refund, the unpaid fines will now be taken from their state refund check.

Governor Phil Bryant approved House Bill 991 on Tuesday.

People not paying fines is a battle many municipalities and counties have been fighting for the past several years.

However, the Local Government Debt Collection Setoff Act has now been put in place to help combat this problem.

The bill states that this only applies to anyone with a debt of at least $50 dollars.

If anyone has an unpaid fine, they’ll be given a written notice alerting them that a “lien” will be placed on their refund check.

Louisville Mayor Will Hill said he’s in favor of the new legislation.

“If those fines are not paid or there’s not any effort to collect on them, then it’s hard to establish a continuation of law and order,” said Mayor Hill. “Being able to collect that money that’s hung out there will be a benefit for all local governments and all citizens, because local government is where the rubber meets the road, and we all benefit from it regardless of socioeconomic status or anyone.”

If anyone receives a notice saying their debt will be collected from their refund, they’ll have up to 30 days to request a hearing to appeal the notice.

For more information on House Bill 991, visit https://legiscan.com/MS/text/HB991/2019