Category: News

Business Leaders Call for Driver’s License Reforms

April 15, 2024 – Washington, D.C. – Last week, business leaders, policy experts, nonprofit advocates, and community leaders joined together to call for an end to debt-based driver’s license suspensions. Hosted by Fines & Fees Justice Center, the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, and Uber, the event highlighted the critical criminal and economic justice reform …

What is the Driving for Opportunity Act?

Introduction In the U.S., where over 85% of people drive to work, taking away a person’s driver’s license is the same as taking away their ability to survive. Despite this fact, 25 states use restrictions on driver’s licenses as a means of coercing court debt payments. As a result of these debt-based license suspensions, millions …

The Driving for Opportunity Act Passes Through the Senate Judiciary Committee

The Driving for Opportunity Act advances through Senate Judiciary Committee backed by a coalition of criminal justice, law enforcement, civil rights, and conservative advocacy organizations – a key step toward final passage   WASHINGTON — Today, legislation led by U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) to create incentives to stop debt-based driver’s license suspensions advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan …

22 States in 5 Years: Bipartisan Lawmakers Coalesce Behind Curbing Debt-Based Driving Restrictions

10 States Enact Legislative Reform in 2021, But New Challenges Lie Ahead Millions of people in the U.S. currently have their driver’s license suspended — not because they’re dangerous drivers, but simply because they can’t afford to pay a ticket or fine. But in a rare show of bipartisan commonsense, lawmakers from around the country …

Sens. Coons, Wicker Re-Introduce The Driving for Opportunity Act

WASHINGTON – On March 25th, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) reintroduced the bipartisan Driving for Opportunity Act to create incentives to stop debt-based driver’s license suspensions. It has been estimated that nationwide at least 11 million people have their driver’s licenses suspended because they cannot pay fines or fees, not for …

50+ Institutions Call on U.S. Senate Leadership to Pass the Driving for Opportunity Act

July 16th 2020 — Today the Free to Drive campaign sent a letter to U.S. Senate leaders, signed by over 50 institutions, calling for the passage of the federal Driving for Opportunity Act, which would create incentives for states to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions. Many states – both red and blue – are moving …

Press Release: Bipartisan U.S. Senate Bill Targets Debt-Based Driver’s License Suspensions

The Driving for Opportunity Act is backed by U.S. Senators Coons and Wickers, as well as a diverse coalition of criminal justice, law enforcement, civil rights and conservative advocacy organizations WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the bipartisan Driving for Opportunity Act to create incentives to stop debt-based driver’s license …