For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Contact
John Dew, Executive Director, jdew@flccoc.org, 850.386.2223

Florida Court Clerks Operation Green Light Brings in More Than $5.4
Million in Past Due Traffic Fines & Fees
Nearly 27,000 Cases Paid in Full Thanks to Innovative Collection Program
Tallahassee, Fla. The Florida Clerks of Courts Operation Green Light, a one-day statewide
initiative to help customers save money and drive legally, proved to be a huge success with more
than $5.4 million in revenue collected.
On Saturday, April 18, 2015, Floridas Clerks of Court opened their offices to accept overdue
traffic tickets, as well as criminal fines and fees, without charging collection agency fees of up to
40 percent. This statewide event allowed customers to reinstate suspended drivers licenses once
they paid in full.
We are pleased with the success of Operation Green Light as it brought thousands of people to
Clerks offices across the state to settle nearly 27,000 outstanding cases, said Clerk Tara Green
of Clay County, who coordinated the statewide event. More than 9,500 drivers licenses were
reinstated or became eligible for reinstatement.
While the primary goal of Operation Green Light was to help customers save money and drive
legally, the innovative event also aided Clerks collections efforts. Of the $5.4 million collected
through Operation Green Light, the state will receive $2.1 million, local governments will
receive $1.7 million and Floridas Clerks of Court will receive $1.6 million.
Since 2010, state revenues have not met the budgetary needs of Floridas Clerks of the Court,
said Clerk Sharon R. Bock, chair of the Florida Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC),
which supports the Clerks of Court in the state by reviewing and certifying court-related
proposed budgets. Operation Green Light adds one-time revenue of $1.6 million to Clerks, with
the remaining money collected going to state and local governments.
Clerk Green worked with the Department of Highway, Safety and Motor Vehicles to determine
that more than a million Floridians have a suspended license.
It is a priority of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to help unlicensed
drivers to become compliant with the law, said DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes.
Ensuring that motorists are legally able to drive on our highways supports our states economic
health and strengthens Florida families.

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Operation Green Light was an innovative approach to generate additional revenue for the
people of Florida while also helping some citizens get back on their feet and reengage as strong
contributors to our economy, said Joseph E. Smith, president of the Florida Court Clerks &
Comptrollers. The event saved citizens approximately $2 million, but more importantly, its
residual effects will continue to help our state by getting people back on the road to literally
drive to and from work and school, and figuratively, drive our state forward.
For more information on Operation Green Light and the list of the participating Clerks offices,
please visit www.flccoc.org/OperationGreenLight.php.
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