Abusive Driver Fees: On The Way Out?

IT WAS MY BILL FIRST!


Virginia Lawmaker are practically tripping over each other's 'Repeal of the Hated Abusive Driver Fees". It seems everybody's got their own bill to do it. The only lawmaker I've talked to who still praises the program is Delegate Dave Albo, who authored the bill. He thinks the fees should stay but be fixed and apply to out-of-staters as well and also only apply to the worst offenses on the roads. He says his reading of the study on the impact shows the fees are helping make Virginia's roads safer.

Sorry, Dave, the horse is out of the gate. Now, Governor Tim Kaine has proposed a repeal. And here is Delegate Brian Moran's STATEMENT ON ABUSIVE DRIVER FEE REPEAL:

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran made the following statement after legislation to repeal the Abusive Driver Fee’s passed the House Transportation Committee today (HB649). Delegate Moran has been a vocal and consistent opponent of the fees since their introduction and first called for their repeal last summer. He introduced legislation to repeal the fees in the 2008 session (HB1188).

“The abusive driver fees should never have been created and I’ve been proud to consistently oppose them. As a former prosecutor, I know we can’t use our police officers as tax collectors. Research has clearly shown theses fees do not raise the revenue needed for transportation and they fail to improve safety on our roadways.

I’m very pleased at the strong bipartisan support for repealing these fees and look forward to its passage in the full House next week.”