REFERENCE TITLE: criminal restitution orders; interest

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2024

 

 

 

HB 2466

 

Introduced by

Representative Ortiz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Act

 

amending sections 8-344 and 13-805, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to restitution.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 8-344, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE8-344. Restitution payments

A. If a juvenile is adjudicated delinquent, the court, after considering the nature of the offense and the age, physical and mental condition and earning capacity of the juvenile, shall order the juvenile to make full or partial restitution to the victim of the offense for which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent or to the estate of the victim if the victim has died.  The juvenile shall make restitution payments to the clerk of the court for disbursement to the victim or estate of the victim.

B. The court shall notify the victim or estate of the victim of the dispositional hearing.  The court may consider a verified statement from the victim or estate of the victim concerning damages for lost wages, reasonable damages for injury to or loss of property and actual expenses of medical treatment for personal injury, excluding pain and suffering.

C. In ordering restitution pursuant to subsection A of this section, the court may order one or both of the juvenile's custodial parents to make restitution to the victim of the offense for which the juvenile was adjudicated delinquent or to the estate of the victim if the victim has died. The court shall determine the amount of restitution ordered pursuant to this subsection, except that the amount shall not exceed the liability limit established pursuant to section 12-661. The court may order a parent or juvenile who is ordered to pay restitution to satisfy the order in a lump sum or installment payments to the clerk of the court for disbursement to the victim or estate of the victim.  If the court orders the juvenile's parents to make restitution pursuant to this subsection, the court shall order the juvenile to make either full or partial restitution, regardless of the juvenile's insufficient earning capacity. The court shall not consider the ability of the juvenile's parents to pay restitution before making a restitution order.

D. The juvenile court shall retain jurisdiction of the case after the juvenile attains eighteen years of age for the purpose of modifying the manner in which court ordered payments are to be made. After a juvenile attains eighteen years of age or if the court retains jurisdiction over the juvenile pursuant to section 8-202, subsection H on termination of the juvenile's probation, the juvenile court shall enter a juvenile restitution order in favor of each person entitled to restitution for the unpaid balance of any restitution ordered pursuant to this section.

E. The clerk of the court shall send a copy of the juvenile restitution order to each person who is entitled to restitution.

F. A juvenile restitution order may be recorded and enforced as any civil judgment, except that a juvenile restitution order does not require renewal pursuant to section 12-1611 or 12-1612. A juvenile restitution order does not expire until paid in full. Enforcement of a juvenile restitution order by any person who is entitled to restitution or by the state includes the collection of interest, which accrues at a rate of ten percent per annum.

G. A juvenile restitution order is a criminal penalty for the purposes of a federal bankruptcy involving the juvenile. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 13-805, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE13-805. Jurisdiction

A. The trial court shall retain jurisdiction of the case as follows:

1. Subject to paragraph 2 of this subsection, for purposes of ordering, modifying and enforcing the manner in which court-ordered payments are made until paid in full or until the defendant's sentence expires.

2. For all restitution orders in favor of a victim, including liens and criminal restitution orders, for purposes of ordering, modifying and enforcing the manner in which payments are made until paid in full.

B. At the time the defendant is ordered to pay restitution by the court, the court may enter a criminal restitution order in favor of each person who is entitled to restitution for the unpaid balance of any restitution order.  A criminal restitution order does not affect any other monetary obligation imposed on the defendant pursuant to law.

C. At the time the defendant completes the defendant's period of probation or the defendant's sentence or the defendant absconds from probation or the defendant's sentence, the court shall enter both:

1. A criminal restitution order in favor of the state for the unpaid balance, if any, of any fines, costs, incarceration costs, fees, surcharges or assessments imposed.

2. A criminal restitution order in favor of each person entitled to restitution for the unpaid balance of any restitution ordered, if a criminal restitution order is not issued pursuant to subsection B of this section.

D. The clerk of the court shall notify each person who is entitled to restitution of the criminal restitution order.

E. A criminal restitution order may be recorded and is enforceable as any civil judgment, except that a criminal restitution order does not require renewal pursuant to section 12-1611 or 12-1612. Enforcement of a criminal restitution order by any person or by the state on behalf of any person who is entitled to restitution includes the collection of interest that accrues at a rate of ten percent a year. Enforcement of a criminal restitution order by the state includes the collection of interest that accrues at a rate of four percent a year.  A criminal restitution order does not expire until paid in full. A filing fee, a recording fee or any other charge is not required for recording a criminal restitution order.

F. All monies paid pursuant to a criminal restitution order entered by the court shall be paid to the clerk of the court.

G. Monies received as a result of a criminal restitution order entered pursuant to this section shall be distributed in the following order of priority:

1. Restitution ordered that is reduced to a criminal restitution order.

2. Associated interest.

H. The interest accrued pursuant to subsection E of this section does not apply to fees imposed for collection of the court ordered payments.

I. G. A criminal restitution order is a criminal penalty for the purposes of a federal bankruptcy involving the defendant. END_STATUTE