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Bill

HB 4540

To require municipalities issuing tickets to charge the entire fee for tickets

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bill Bell and 2 co-sponsors

West Virginia municipalities must require full ticket payment upfront, eliminating installment payment options for traffic and citation fines.

To House Judiciary
#magistrates #motorvehicles #municipalities
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Bill Summary · HB 4540

Legislative bill overview

HB 4540 would require West Virginia municipalities to charge the complete fee for traffic or citation tickets in a single transaction rather than allowing split payments or installment plans. The bill applies to all tickets issued by local governments within the state.

Why is this important

This legislation directly affects how residents pay fines and citations, potentially creating financial barriers for lower-income individuals who rely on installment payment options. It also impacts municipal revenue collection practices and enforcement consistency across different jurisdictions in West Virginia.

Potential points of contention

  • Financial accessibility: Requiring full upfront payment may prevent some individuals from paying tickets, leading to increased license suspensions, warrant issuances, and debt accumulation rather than revenue collection
  • Disparate impact: Lower-income residents would face greater difficulty complying with the law compared to affluent residents, raising equity concerns
  • Municipal revenue effects: Some municipalities may experience reduced payment compliance rates and increased administrative costs from enforcement of unpaid tickets, offsetting potential benefits from eliminating payment plan processing
  • Implementation complexity: Clarification needed on enforcement mechanisms, grace periods, and how existing payment plans would be handled

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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