DELAWARE- The Delaware Senate approved a series of bills designed to eliminate numerous fines, fees, and outstanding balances imposed by the courts, which have disproportionately impacted low-income people. According to the state, the legislative package includes three bills aimed at addressing injustices within the criminal justice system. The measures would do that by removing financial barriers that contribute to recidivism and perpetuate poverty. The three bills, Senate Bill 282, Senate Bill 283, and Senate Bill 284, collectively target specific fees, such as the $100 Senior Trust Fund Fee and the $1 DELJIS Fee, and discharge nearly $14.4 million in probation supervision fee balances owed by approximately 70,000 accounts.
The passage of these three measures follows recommendations from the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group, co-chaired by Senator Darius Brown and Representative Sean Lynn. Senator Brown is a prime sponsor of all three legislations. This task force, which included representatives from the Delaware Court System, reviewed the state's criminal justice fines and fees system for nearly a year. State Court Administrator Gayle P. Lafferty stated that these fees provided unstable revenue and created unnecessary barriers for those seeking rehabilitation. The legislative package now awaits final consideration in the House.
