The Oklahoma House passed House Bill 1460 which would reform some of the court fees charged to justice involved individuals. Representative Tammy West is the author of the bill.
“Our current system strains our criminal justice system, hinders reentry efforts and traps individuals in a never-ending cycle of debt and criminal justice involvement,” West said. “For too long, these fees have done more harm than good and have stood as barriers to successful reentry. House Bill 1460 gives people a real second chance to get back on their feet after incarceration.”
HB 1460 would eliminate the following low-yield fees, based on 2022 data:
Electronic monitoring fee (up to $300/month) – Collected by the Department of Corrections, with only $200,000 of the $700,000 assessed successfully collected.
$40 indigent defense application fee – Assessed by court clerks and frequently waived by judges, generating just $26,976.88.
$15 DPS Impaired Driver Database fee – Brought in $78,148.47.
$5 Bureau of Narcotics Revolving Fund fee – Charged for misdemeanor marijuana possession, totaling $15,476.98.
OSBI drug cleaning fee – Collected just $4.87.
Two fees assessed by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services also will be impacted by HB 1460.
West says she is working with state agencies to find more court fees which makes sense to remove.
“When we refuse to remove these substantial barriers, we continue to punish people well after they’ve served their time,” West said. “House Bill 1460 is a step in the right direction toward eliminating unjust financial penalties that make it harder for Oklahomans to get back on their feet after incarceration. Without the burden of overwhelming fees, people will be better equipped to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society.”
