Proposed legislation aims to eliminate court fees and end incarceration for unpaid fines in New York

New York lawmakers State Sen. Julia Salazar and Assemblymember Kenny Burgos have introduced the End Predatory Court Fees Act. This groundbreaking bill seeks to abolish a range of financial penalties within the state’s judicial system, including court fees, mandatory minimum fines and the practice of incarcerating individuals for the nonpayment of such fines and fees.

Under the current system, court-imposed financial obligations can lead to a cycle of debt and incarceration for many New Yorkers, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals and communities of color. The proposed legislation aims to address these systemic inequities by removing financial barriers to justice.

“The Senate held a hearing on this legislation and 100% of the testimony was in support,” said Salazar, lead Senate sponsor of the End Predatory Court Fees Act. “It is unbelievable that we continue to burden low-income New Yorkers with these fines and fees. They are essentially a regressive tax. As we approach the state budget, it’s more important than ever that we finally pass the End Predatory Court Fees Act.”

Assemblymember Burgos echoed this sentiment, stating, “Everyone here knows these fees have to go. But even people in the court system — prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges — know these fees have to go. 

“They see every day who walks through the court system,” Burgos said. “The poorest people in our state find themselves in the courts. These fees largely go unpaid because you can’t pay a bill with money you don’t have. We then spend more of our own state money to try to collect these fees. And even more egregiously, if people can’t afford them,…