Ability to Pay

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State Statute Description/Statute Name Statutory language Level of offense Definition of ability to pay Timeline Burden of proof Method of determination Mandatory Remedies if unable to pay
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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56i(g) Pretrial drug education and community service program.
No person may be excluded from any such program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or
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inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. The court may waive all or any portion of such fee depending on such person’s ability to pay. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a substance abuse treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k.
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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency.

. . . (4) the accused person, unless such accused person is indigent, has paid to the clerk of the court an administration fee of twenty-five dollars.

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indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

waiver of fee

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-696(e) Order for suspension of prosecution and treatment for alcohol or drug dependency.

The accused person shall, unless indigent, pay the cost of treatment ordered under this section.

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indigent

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

waiver of cost of treatment

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56e(e) Accelerated pretrial rehabilitation

. . . No person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or

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inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(g) Pretrial alcohol education program (victim impact panel program fees)

. . . provided such organization shall offer a hardship waiver when it has determined that the imposition of a fee would pose an economic hardship for such person.

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economic hardship

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

hardship waiver

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56g(c) Pretrial alcohol education program

. . . No person may be excluded from either program for inability to pay such fee or cost, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of

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indigency or inability to pay, (2) such indigency or inability to pay is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for a treatment program, the costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account established under section 54-56k. If the court finds that a person is indigent or unable to pay for an intervention program, the court may waive all or any portion of the fee for such intervention program.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

costs of such program shall be paid from the pretrial account

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-56j(f) Pretrial school violence prevention program.

. . . no student shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay such cost provided (1) the parent or guardian of such student files with the court

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an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-125f(d) Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program.

. . . if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall pay the cost of the test

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indigent, based upon financial affidavits

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

Department of Correction shall pay the cost

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-38c(i) Pretrial family violence education program; fees.

. . . no person shall be excluded from such program for inability to pay any such fee, provided (1) the person files with the court an affidavit of indigency

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or inability to pay, and (2) the court enters a finding thereof

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 18-100e(d) Pilot zero-tolerance drug supervision program (urinalysis fee)

(d) Any person who has submitted to a urinalysis drug test pursuant to subsection (c) of this section that produced a positive result may request that a second urinalysis drug

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test be administered, at such person’s expense, to confirm the results of the first test, except that if the participant is determined to be indigent, based upon financial affidavits, the Department of Correction shall pay the cost of the test. The second drug test shall be a urinalysis drug test, separate and independent of the initial test.

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indigent, based upon financial affidavits

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

Department of Correction shall pay the cost

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-28(c) Authorized sentences.

. . . In determining the appropriate terms of financial restitution, the court shall consider: (A) The financial resources of the offender and the burden restitution will place on other

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obligations of the offender; (B) the offender’s ability to pay based on installments or other conditions; (C) the rehabilitative effect on the offender of the payment of restitution and the method of payment; and (D) other circumstances, including the financial burden and impact on the victim, that the court determines make the terms of restitution appropriate. If the court determines that the current financial resources of the offender or the offender’s current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined, the court may forego setting such terms.

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current financial resources of the offender or the offender’s current ability to pay based on installments or other conditions are such that no appropriate terms of restitution can be determined

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

The court may forgo setting restitution

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Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-39c(b) Community service labor program.

. . . no person may be excluded from such program for inability to pay such fee, provided (1) such person files with the court an affidavit of indigency or

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inability to pay, (2) such indigency is confirmed by the Court Support Services Division, and (3) the court enters a finding thereof.

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indigency

Before imposition of fine or fee Burden on defendant to show inability to pay Not provided for Yes

admission to program without paying fees

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 161.645 Ability to pay -- prior to imposition of fine
In determining whether to impose a fine and its amount, the court shall consider: (1) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of a fine will impose,
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with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and (2) The ability of the defendant to pay a fine on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court. [1971 c.743 §78]
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(1) The financial resources of the defendant and the burden that payment of a fine will impose, with due regard to the other obligations of the defendant; and
(2) The

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ability of the defendant to pay a fine on an installment basis or on other conditions to be fixed by the court. [1971 c.743 §78]

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Not provided for Yes

Payment plan

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 179.640 Determination of ability to pay; rules; financial information; notice; order; hearing; appeal.

(1)(a) The Department of Corrections and the Oregon Health Authority shall establish rules for determining ability to pay for persons in their respective institutions. The rules adopted by each agency

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shall require, in addition to other relevant factors, consideration of the personal estate, the person’s need for funds for personal support after release, and the availability of third-party benefits such as, but not limited to, Medicare or private insurance. Each agency may also consider the probable length of stay at the state institution. Nothing in this section requires the Department of Corrections to investigate a person’s ability to pay or to issue an ability-to-pay order. (b) When adopting rules under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Department of Corrections shall consider the person’s needs for funds to pay for the support of the person’s children and to pay any monetary obligations imposed on the person as a result of the person’s conviction.

(2) In determining a person’s ability to pay, none of the agencies may consider as part of the personal estate of the person or the decedent’s estate: (a) Any assets received by or owing to the person and the personal estate of the person, or the decedent’s estate, as compensation from the state for injury, death or, if the collection is being made by the Department of Corrections, the false imprisonment of the person that occurred when the person was in a state institution listed in ORS 179.321 (Responsibility to supervise state institutions) and for which the state admits liability or is found liable through adjudication; and (b) Any real or personal property that the person or an authorized representative of the person can demonstrate was purchased solely with assets referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection or partially with such assets, to the extent such assets were used in the purchase.

(3) A person and the authorized representative of the person, if any, shall provide all financial information requested by the agency that is necessary to determine the person’s ability to pay. To determine ability to pay, the agency may use any information available to the agency, including information provided by the Department of Revenue from personal income tax returns pursuant to ORS 314.840 (Disclosure of information). Upon request, the Department of Revenue shall release copies of tax returns to the agency. When the person or the person’s authorized representative fails to provide evidence to demonstrate an inability to pay full cost of care, the agency may determine the person has the ability to pay the full cost of care.

(4) The agency shall provide actual notice to the person and any authorized representative, if known to the agency, of its determination by issuing an ability-to-pay order. The order shall state the person’s full liability and the person’s determined ability to pay. Actual notice means receipt by the person and the authorized representative of notice. The notice shall include a copy of the ability-to-pay order, a description of the person’s appeal rights and the date upon which appeal rights terminate and state the address where a request for hearing may be mailed or delivered. At any time, the agency may reissue an ability-to-pay order to notify an authorized representative as provided by ORS 179.653 (Unpaid costs as lien on property) (4).

(5) At any time during the person’s stay at the state institution or within 36 months from the date the person is released, if the agency receives new financial information that shows a change in the person’s financial circumstances, the agency shall consider the changed circumstances and issue a new ability-to-pay order.

(6) Orders issued after the person is released may not require the person to make payments toward the cost of care for more than 36 consecutive months following release. However, the agency may collect beyond the 36-month period any payments that became due but were not paid within the 36 months following release. Any remaining balance of full cost of care shall be collected as provided in ORS 179.740 (Collection from estates).

(7) Notwithstanding ORS 183.315 (Application of provisions of chapter to certain agencies) (5), if a person or authorized representative disagrees with any ability-to-pay order issued pursuant to this section, the person or authorized representative may request a contested case hearing. To the extent practical, the hearing will be held at a location convenient to the person or the authorized representative. The request must be postmarked within 60 days from the date of the mailing of the ability-to-pay order. If the person or the authorized representative makes a timely request for a contested case hearing, the hearing and any appeal of the final hearing order shall be governed by ORS 183.413 (Notice to parties before hearing of rights and procedure) to 183.497 (Awarding costs and attorney fees when finding for petitioner). If the person or the authorized representative fails to make a timely request for a contested case hearing, the ability-to-pay order shall be final and not subject to judicial review, except as subsequently modified by the agency as provided in subsection (5) of this section.

(8) On appeal, regardless of other information presented, payment of the full cost of care may be ordered if the person or the authorized representative refuses to produce financial information that the Hearings Officer or administrative law judge determines is relevant and must be produced. [1959 c.652 §4; 1961 c.501 §2; 1967 c.549 §4; 1973 c.806 §3a; 1973 c.823 §§123,159; 1989 c.348 §3; 1997 c.170 §15; 1999 c.159 §2; 2001 c.487 §3; 2003 c.75 §86; 2009 c.595 §149; 2013 c.36 §59; 2015 c.348 §26]

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The rules adopted by each agency shall require, in addition to other relevant factors, consideration of the personal estate, the person’s need for funds for personal support after release, and

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the availability of third-party benefits such as, but not limited to, Medicare or private insurance. Each agency may also consider the probable length of stay at the state institution. Nothing in this section requires the Department of Corrections to investigate a person’s ability to pay or to issue an ability-to-pay order. (b) When adopting rules under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Department of Corrections shall consider the person’s needs for funds to pay for the support of the person’s children and to pay any monetary obligations imposed on the person as a result of the person’s conviction.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

N/A

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Oregon Or. Rev. Stat. § 151.487(1),(4) Ability to pay; effect

(1) If in determining that a person is financially eligible for appointed counsel under ORS 151.485, the court finds that the person has financial resources that enable the person to pay in

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full or in part the administrative costs of determining the eligibility of the person and the costs of the legal and other services to be provided at state expense that are related to the provision of appointed counsel, the court shall enter a limited judgment requiring that the person pay to the Public Defense Services Account established by ORS 151.225, through the clerk of the court, the amount that it finds the person is able to pay without creating substantial hardship in providing basic economic necessities to the person or the person's dependent family. The amount that a court may require the person to pay is subject to the guidelines and procedures issued by the Public Defense Services Commission as provided in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) The commission shall promulgate and issue guidelines and procedures: (a) For the determination of persons provided with appointed counsel who have some financial resources to pay in full or in part the administrative, legal and other costs under subsection (1) of this section; and (b) Regarding the amounts persons may be required to pay by a court under subsection (1) of this section.

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Amount that it finds the person is able to pay without creating substantial hardship in providing basic economic necessities to the person or the person's dependent family.

Before imposition of fine or fee Not provided for Administrative decision Yes

None specified