VA courts will no longer suspend driver’s licenses for non-payment of court fees
Courts in Virginia will no longer be allowed to
suspend people’s driver’s licenses if they can’t afford to pay court fines or
related costs, as of July 1, thanks to a budget amendment approved by the
General Assembly.
suspend people’s driver’s licenses if they can’t afford to pay court fines or
related costs, as of July 1, thanks to a budget amendment approved by the
General Assembly.
After the law takes effect, more than 627,000 Virginians
will be eligible to get their driver’s licenses reinstated at no cost.
will be eligible to get their driver’s licenses reinstated at no cost.
“This inequitable policy criminalizes poverty and a change was long overdue,” said Gov. Ralph Northam. “A driver’s license is critical to daily life, including a person’s ability to maintain a job.”
Virginia residents will need to contact their local
Department of Motor Vehicles office to learn how to get their driver’s license
reinstated.
This change, however, does not apply to the
non-payment of tolls. If a driver’s license was revoked for reasons in addition
to failure to pay court fees, there will be additional court or DMV requirements to
regain driving privileges.
non-payment of tolls. If a driver’s license was revoked for reasons in addition
to failure to pay court fees, there will be additional court or DMV requirements to
regain driving privileges.
“Unwarranted
license suspension disproportionately impacts the most
economically-disadvantaged Virginians without making our communities safer,”
said Sen. Adam Ebbin (Alexandria).
“When a person’s
driver’s license is suspended, they may face a difficult dilemma—obey the
suspension and potentially lose their ability to provide for their families or
drive anyway and face further punishment, and even imprisonment, for driving
while suspended,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security
Brian Moran.
driver’s license is suspended, they may face a difficult dilemma—obey the
suspension and potentially lose their ability to provide for their families or
drive anyway and face further punishment, and even imprisonment, for driving
while suspended,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security
Brian Moran.
If the State is no longer going to force people to pay court cost if you can not afford it that means everyone in court will not be able to afford it so they should just remove the court cost all together.