Arizona 2024 2024 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1679 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 02/26/2024

                    Assigned to TTMC 	AS PASSED BY COW 
 
 
 
 
ARIZONA STATE SENATE 
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session 
 
AMENDED 
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1679 
 
defensive driving schools; fees. 
Purpose 
 Effective June 1, 2025, transfers, from the defensive driving school to the court of record 
or a contracted vendor, the authority to collect and transfer court diversion and Defensive Driving 
School Fund (Fund) fees and surcharges.  
Background 
 For individuals attending a defensive driving school, the presiding judge of each court 
must: 1) set the amount of the court diversion fee that may be assessed; 2) charge a $45 surcharge; 
and 3) immediately inform the Arizona Supreme Court, in writing, of the court diversion fee, the 
total cost to attend a defensive driving school and of any changes to the total cost. Payment of the 
court diversion fee and surcharge is in lieu of payment of a civil penalty or criminal fine and any 
surcharges that are imposed for a traffic violation. The defensive driving school must collect the 
court diversion fee and surcharge before or at the time an individual attends the school and transmit 
the fee to the appropriate court. The surcharge must be transmitted to the State Treasurer for 
deposit (A.R.S. § 28-3396).  
 In addition to the court diversion fee and the fee to attend a defensive driving school, an 
individual must pay a Fund fee of up to $15, as established by the Arizona Supreme Court. The 
defensive driving school must collect and transit the Fund fee to the Arizona Supreme Court. The 
Arizona Supreme Court must deposit the fee into the Fund (A.R.S. § 28-3397). 
 There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this 
legislation. 
Provisions 
1. Requires the court of record or a vendor contracted by the court, rather than the defensive 
driving school, to collect the: 
a) court diversion fee and surcharge; and  
b) the Fund fee.  
2. Requires the court of record or a vendor contracted by the court, rather than the defensive 
driving school, to transmit: 
a) the surcharge to the State Treasurer; and 
b) the Fund fee to the Arizona Supreme Court.  
3. Requires a vendor that is contracted by the court to comply with the Arizona Supreme Court 
rules relating to procurement.   FACT SHEET – Amended 
S.B. 1679 
Page 2 
 
 
4. Allows a vendor contracted by the court to charge an individual a fee of not more than $6.  
5. Makes technical and conforming changes.  
6. Becomes effective on June 1, 2025.  
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole 
1. Adds a vendor that is contracted by the court as an alternative to the court of record.  
2. Requires a contracted vendor to comply with Arizona Supreme Court rules relating to 
procurement.  
3. Allows a contracted vendor to charge an individual a fee of not more than $6.  
4. Makes conforming changes.  
5. Adds a delayed effective date of June 1, 2025.  
Senate Action 
TTMC 2/12/24 DP 6-1-0 
Prepared by Senate Research 
February 23, 2024 
KJA/EB/mg/slp