A bill that would put an end to state driving restrictions for unpaid fines, fees and taxes, including unpaid speeding and parking tickets, is advancing through the Massachusetts State House.
The bill, An Act to Increase Opportunity by Ending Debt-Based Driving Restrictions (S. 2874), was filed by state Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Cape & Islands) and seeks to eliminate “the suspension or revocation of driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations as penalties for non-payment of vehicle excise taxes, state taxes, and Department of Transportation fines,” according to a summary of the legislation. Speeding and parking tickets are considered fines by the Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
“There is quite a bit of harm in the debt-based license suspensions that we currently have in Massachusetts,” said Cyr as he testified in support of his bill before the Joint Committee on Transportation in July. “A suspended license prevents individuals from working, caring for families, getting to school, and meeting essential needs such as medical appointments and grocery shopping.”
The bill’s summary explains that the goal of the legislation is to “reform the punitive measures associated with non-payment of vehicle-related taxes and fines” in Massachusetts, claiming that driving restrictions based on unpaid taxes, tickets or other fines has a disproportionate effect on low-income residents.
Eva Decharleroy, of the ACLU of Massachusetts also testified in support of the bill, calling the current state law requiring the RMV to suspend driver’s licenses for unpaid fees and fines “outdated.”
“And we’re not talking about suspending licenses for reckless driving or OUI, we’re talking about things like EZ-Pass debt, unpaid traffic tickets or a bounced check,” said Decharleroy. “As a result of the current system, low-income drivers who cannot lawfully drive are thrown into a compounding debt cycle. This makes it nearly impossible to work, to live or to feed their families. This leads to further economic harm, racial inequity, and even unnecessary involvement with the criminal legal system.”
While the legislation would put an end to driving restrictions based on unpaid speeding and parking tickets, Cyr says any license suspensions or revocations related to public safety would be upheld, something he says will ensure that unsafe drivers remain off the road.
It would also eliminate criminal penalties for those who drive with a suspended or revoked license due to unpaid reinstatement fees, with Cyr explaining that it “modifies the penalties for driving with a suspended license – including eliminating the possibility of imprisonment for doing so.”
In addition, the legislation would require the state Registrar to “use best efforts” to identify and contact all Massachusetts drivers who owe fines or fees over $100 and attempt to settle up payment with them.
“This shift acknowledges that such punitive measures often disproportionately affect low-income individuals, hindering their ability to maintain employment and meet financial obligations. By removing these automatic suspensions, the legislation seeks to reduce the cascading negative effects that debt-based license suspensions can have on individuals’ livelihoods and overall well-being,” the bill’s summary reads.
A House version of the bill (H. 3662) has also been filed by state Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid (D-12th Suffolk).
Cyr’s bill was reportedly favorably by the Joint Transportation Committee in a unanimous vote and has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
The Herald has reached out to Cyr for comment.
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