ICYMI: WASHINGTON STATE HOUSE PASSES BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO END DRIVER’S LICENSE SUSPENSION FOR FAILURE TO PAY FINES AND FEES

Legislation Will Make over 64,000 Washingtonians Eligible for License Reinstatement & Reduce Suspensions by up to 40,000 Per Year

(Olympia, WA) – On Saturday night, the Washington State House voted overwhelmingly (80-17) in favor of Senate Bill 5226, bipartisan criminal justice legislation that will eliminate driver's license suspensions for failure to pay fines and fees in non-criminal traffic infractions. The bill, sponsored by Senator Jesse Salomon (D-32) and Senator Jaime Pedersen (D-43), previously passed in the Senate 33-16, and now heads back to the Senate for concurrence and final passage.

S.B. 5226 will:

• Eliminate failure to pay as cause for driver’s license suspension in non-criminal traffic infractions, reducing the number of suspensions per year by up to 40,000;

• Make over 64,000 Washingtonians eligible for license reinstatement; and

• Expand access to court payment plans.

“For years, tens of thousands of hard-working Washingtonians have had their licenses suspended and lives upended simply because they were unable to pay traffic fines and fees,” said Carl Filler, State Policy Analyst for the Justice Action Network. “This bipartisan legislation will finally put an end to this practice and make an immediate, meaningful difference in the lives of families across the state."

“We’d like to thank Representatives Hackney, Fey, Taylor, Simmons, Barkis, and Wilcox for championing this bill in the House, Senators Salomon, Pedersen, Braun, and Rivers for sponsoring and shepherding it through the Senate, and members of both parties in both chambers who came together to provide such overwhelming support. We look forward to the Senate’s concurrence, the Governor’s signature, and the long-awaited end of this unjust practice,” continued Filler.