KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas’ Board of Commissioners hopes a recent change in policy will help reduce the burden fees and fines have on residents.
Earlier this month, commissioners signed off on an updated ordinance that eliminated a $30 fee that was previously charged to all people who pleaded guilty or no contest to charges in Municipal Court.
The updated ordinance also provides a method where a person can request an “ability to pay hearing” if their financial situation might need the flexibility to pay fines and fees.
The moves are part of an initiative from the Cities & Counties for Fine and Fee Justice program. The UG is one of five communities participating in the effort.
“We have undertaken this important reform as part of the CCFFJ cohort,” Municipal Court Administrative Judge Meaghan E. Schultz said Tuesday in a release. “The changes in the ordinance not only eliminate the $30 court costs, but it also formalizes the ‘ability to pay’ process.’”
Court fees assessed by the state or other jurisdictions will remain in place.
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