Unjustly fined drivers to receive DMV refunds

Thursday, June 26, 1997 | 11:48 a.m.

The Senate unanimously approved AB36 on Wednesday, setting up a program to refund a combined $194,500 to about 4,000 drivers fined by the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety.

The bill will be sent to the Assembly for agreement on a minor amendment before it goes to Gov. Bob Miller for his signature. He has pledged to sign the bill. The Assembly approved the original version of the bill 42-0.

Under a law approved two years ago to ensure drivers had auto insurance, the DMV sent cards to people whom records from insurance companies showed had let their insurance lapse. They were required to respond to the DMV with information verifying they carried insurance.

But insurance companies and DMV staff made clerical errors and some drivers had never let their insurance lapse. As a result, many drivers, aware they had insurance, disregarded the notices.

A state law, however, required the DMV to revoke their registrations if they didn't respond to the letters.

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