In 2017, Michigan was one of just five states that accounted for 4.2 million drivers who had their licenses revoked because of failure to pay court debt, according to research from the nonprofit Fines and Fees Justice Center. Around 360,000 licenses are suspended each year in the state for unpaid fines or because drivers failed to appear in court, and driving without a valid license is the third most-common reason for jail admission in the state, according to data from the Michigan League for Public Policy. “Today’s action is another step toward smart justice that reins in overly severe and ineffective punishments, and another much-needed step toward improving racial equity and economic stability for Michigan residents and their families.”ĭozens of states suspend licenses for unpaid fines and fees, and the practice is particularly active in Michigan.
“For too long, driver’s license suspensions have been overused as a punishment for a variety of offenses not directly tied to being a danger on the road, and with it, the practice has actually made poverty the ‘offense’ most often being punished,” Alex Rossman, external affairs director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, said in a statement following the vote.
#GETTING DRIVERS LICENSE REINSTATED MICHIGAN CODE#
The legislation, part of a package of criminal justice reform bills, amends the state’s vehicle code to eliminate driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines and fees for many traffic violations, only allowing them when the underlying violation could involve the “injury, death, or serious impairment of a body function of another individual.” That includes driving while intoxicated and reckless driving, according to the bill. Lawmakers in Michigan last week approved a measure to end automatic suspension of driver’s licenses for most unpaid fines and fees, a common policy that advocates say perpetuates a cycle of poverty and incarceration for non-violent offenders.
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