Senators are considering a House bill that would reduce some court fines and fees.
When inmates get out of jail or prison, they need to figure out how they're going to pay for housing or get a job. And almost immediately, they're hit with court fines and fees. And if they don't start paying down that debt, the interest starts compounding.
That's why Delegate Sally Hudson, a Democrat from Charlottesville, has a bill extending the grace period before interest is assessed.
"Once those costs are assessed, some people find it easy to pay them off quickly while poor people find themselves caught in a complicated trap of interest, down payments and transaction fees," Hudson explains. "As a result, poor people end up having to pay more because they can't afford to pay fast."
Pat Levy-Lavelle at the Legal Aid Justice Center says another important part of the bill is allowing people to get repayment plans that don't require huge a down payment.
"The down payment waiver recognizes that we shouldn't be putting up barriers to people wanting to pay down a court debt," Levy-Lavelle says.
The bill has already passed the House and is now being considered in the Senate.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
