LEGISLATION TO END THE PRACTICE OF DEBT-BASED DRIVER’S LICENSE SUSPENSION & ADDRESS CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY PASSES IN SENATE COMMITTEE
S.B. 5226 Will Eliminate ‘Failure to Pay’ & ‘Failure to Appear’ as Causes for Driver’s License Suspension in Non-Criminal Traffic Infractions
(Olympia, WA) - Today, the Washington Senate Law & Justice Committee voted 5-4 in favor of S.B. 5226, legislation that will end the practice of suspending Washingtonians’ driver’s licenses for failure to pay fines and fees related to non-criminal traffic infractions. This legislation now heads to the Senate Rules Committee to schedule a full vote on the Senate floor. In response, Carl Filler, State Policy Analyst with the Justice Action Network, the country’s largest bipartisan criminal justice organization, issued the following statement:
“It’s time to stop punishing people for ‘driving while poor’ and let law enforcement focus on the issues that make our communities safer. Suspending someone’s driver’s license because they can’t afford to pay fines for a minor traffic infraction does not make Washington roads safer. And this counterproductive policy actually increases nonpayment of court fines and fees when individuals lose their jobs. By allowing Washingtonians to keep their licenses when they can't afford traffic fines, this bill will increase revenue for local courts and municipalities at times when local economies are hurting.”
“This bill will also strengthen accountability measures for drivers by mandating license suspension after three traffic tickets in one year, which will keep dangerous drivers off the road and require them to complete a safe driving course before having their license reinstated. We urge the Rules Committee to quickly send this bipartisan bill to the Senate floor for a vote and urge all Senators to support S.B. 5226, which both keeps Washingtonians safe on the road and helps them keep their jobs.”
Sponsored by Senators Jesse Salomon (D-32) and Ron Muzzall (R-10), S.B. 5226 would do the following:
Eliminate failure to pay (FTP) and failure to appear (FTA) as causes for driver’s license suspension in non-criminal traffic infractions.
Modify traffic tickets to allow an individual to admit responsibility and attest they cannot afford the fine. That individual will then receive information on how to get on a payment plan.
Allow courts to waive traffic infraction fines and fees (unless expressly prohibited by being waived by state law).
Require courts to enter into a payment plan at an individual’s request.
Modify the number of traffic infractions that leads to suspensions: currently, 6 moving infractions in 12 months or 7 in 24 months leads to a driver’s license suspension. This bill would require suspension after 3 in 12 months or 4 in 24 months. The suspension shall last for 60 days and require the driver to complete a safe driver’s course. There will be no reinstatement fee for the license in this case.
Authorize the Department of Licensing to administratively reinstate licenses for those who had a license suspended for FTP/FTA.