Press Release: Sen. Eric Schmitt Introduces Municipal Court Reform Bill to Protect Missourians from Abusive Traffic Ticket Schemes

15^th Senatorial District

For Immediate Release:

Dec. 1, 2014

Capitol Building, Room 320

Jefferson City, MO 65101

Contact: Kack Haslag

(573) 751-2853

JEFFERSON CITY— State Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, today introduced legislation to help reform abusive traffic ticket schemes that fund bloated government while unintentionally pushing the poorest Missourians further into poverty.

Under Sen. Schmitt’s municipal court reform bill, local municipalities would only be allowed to fund 10 percent of their budgets with revenue generated by traffic tickets and fines.  Currently, under Macks Creek law, municipalities can fund their budgets with up to 30 percent of the revenue they collect from traffic tickets and fines. Senator Schmitt’s legislation would reduce this amount by two-thirds.

“Government exists to serve our citizens,” Sen. Schmitt said.  “Unfortunately, the municipal court system, especially in the St. Louis region, have created a system of traffic ticket tricks and schemes designed to extract more and more from our citizens. These schemes are little more than ATMs for bloated big government budgets that have hit the poor especially hard. This is abusive system deserves thoughtful reform.  My legislation will help right a wrong and help us move forward.”

In addition to reforming Macks Creek Law, Sen. Schmitt said he will work in the coming legislative session to end other abuses, including the practice of closing courts to the public, not allowing family members to join defendants in the courtroom and the incarceration of people for failing to pay fines, which has created modern day debtor prisons.

“As a senator for St. Louis County, I am compelled to take action and address this injustice.  These ongoing violations of the most fundamental guarantees of the Constitution are the product of a broken system in many municipalities that has contributed to distrust not only between citizens and their government, but also the courts that are supposed to protect their constitutional rights.  As Alexander Hamilton said, ‘the first duty of society is justice.’”

To read more about Sen. Schmitt’s legislative efforts visit his official Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/schmitt.

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