(a) Any person who has violated any ordinance of the town that regulates, districts, or defines the time, place, or manner of parking vehicles in the town and who has not been convicted of any violation of the parking ordinances more than twice before in the same calendar year may, within three business days from the date of such violation, by a statement signed by him or her, admit the violation and waive the issuance of any process and a trial by jury or hearing, and may voluntarily pay to the police court of the town the penalty herein prescribed.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, whenever in the opinion of the court the gravity of the offense requires a fine in excess of the prescribed penalty, as provided in section 1749 of this chapter, the court may refuse to accept the signed statement and penalty and refer the matter to the State's Attorney who may proceed against the offender in the manner prescribed by law. In that event, the signed statement and penalty shall be returned to the offender and shall not be considered as an admission or used as evidence in any court in this State. (Added 1961, No. 103, § 6; amended 2017, No. 11, § 53; 2017, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 18.)