,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dahf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #b1 #bjbj,mr4 ,coons 7for himself and ,mr4 ,wicker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to provide grants to ,states that do not suspend1 revoke1 or refuse to renew a driver's license of a person or refuse to renew a registration of a motor vehicle for failure to pay a civil or criminal fine or fee1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,driving for ,opportunity ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,driving a vehicle is an essential aspect of the daily lives of most people in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,driving is often required to access jobs and healthcare1 take care of family1 get groceries1 and fulfill other basic responsibilities4 7#c7 ,in many small cities1 towns1 and rural areas that do not have public transportation and ridesharing alternatives1 driving is often the only realistic means of transportation4 7#d7 ,even in cities with public transportation and ridesharing options1 individuals vulnerable to infection during the ,,covid-#ai pandemic and those complying with public health guidance regarding social distancing are increasingly reliant on driving as their primary means of transportation for essential travel4 7#e7 ,in the ,united ,states1 millions of ,americans have had their driver's licenses suspended for unpaid court fines and fees4 7#f7 ,a person whose driver's license is suspended or revoked will often find it more difficult to earn a living and therefore pay the debt owed to the government4 7#g7 ,the barrier to employment posed by driver's license suspensions and revocations is especially problematic during the ,,covid-#ai pandemic1 when the unemployment rate is the highest it has been since the ,great ,depression4 7#h7 ,drunk and dangerous driving is one of the leading causes of death and serious bodily injury in the ,united ,states1 and promoting safety on the roads is a legitimate1 necessary1 and core governmental function4 7#i7 ,however1 most driver's license suspensions are not based on the need to protect public safety4 7#aj7 ,in the ,state of ,florida1 #a1ajj1jjj residents received a suspension notice for unpaid fines and fees in #bjag alone4 7#aa7 ,between #bjaj and #bjag1 all but #c ,states increased the amount of fines and fees for civil and criminal violations4 7#ab7 ,in the ,united ,states1 #dj percent of all driver's license suspensions are issued for conduct that was unrelated to driving4 7#ac7 ,in #bjae1 the ,state of ,washington calculated that ,state troopers spent #gj1hdh hours dealing with license suspensions for non-driving offenses4 7#ad7 ,the ,american ,association of ,motor ,vehicle ,administrators estimated that arresting a person for driving with a suspended license can take #i hours of an officer's time1 including waiting for a tow truck1 transporting an individual to jail1 filling out paperwork1 making a court appearance1 and other administrative duties and accordingly ,washington ,state ,patrol ,chief ,john ,batiste called non-driving suspensions a drain on the system as a whole4 7#ae7 ,the ,colorado ,department of ,motor ,vehicles determined that suspending driver's licenses for offenses unrelated to driving consumed #h1eff hours per year of staff time in the ,department4 7#af7 ,many ,states impose a significant fee for reinstating a suspended driver's license1 such as ,alabama1 where the fee is #bge4 7#ag7 ,driving on a suspended license is one of the most common criminal charges in jurisdictions across the country4 7#ah7 ,seventy-five percent of those with suspended licenses report continuing to drive4 7#ai7 ,it is more likely that those people are also driving without insurance due to the costs and restrictions associated with obtaining auto insurance on a suspended license1 thereby placing a greater financial burden on other drivers when a driver with a suspended license causes an accident4 7#bj7 ,the ,american ,motor ,vehicles ,association has concluded the following3 ,drivers who have been suspended for social non-conformance-related offenses are often trapped within the system4 ,some cannot afford to pay the original fines1 and may lose their ability to legally get to and from work as a result of the suspension4 ,many make the decision to drive while suspended4 ,the suspension results in increased financial obligations through new requirements such as reinstatement fees1 court costs1 and other penalties4 ,while there is a clear societal interest in keeping those who are unfit to drive off the roads1 broadly restricting licenses for violations unrelated to an individual's ability to drive safely may do more harm than good4 ,this is especially true in areas of the country that lack alternative means of transportation4 ,for those individuals1 a valid driver license can be a means to survive4 ,local communities1 employers1 and employees all experience negative consequences as a result of social non-conformity suspensions1 including unemployment1 lower wages1 fewer employment opportunities and hiring choices1 and increased insurance costs44 7#ba7 ,a report by the ,harvard ,law ,school ,criminal ,justice ,policy ,program concluded the following3 ,the suspension of a driver's or professional license is one of the most pervasive poverty traps for poor people assessed a fine that they cannot afford to pay4 ,the practice is widespread4 ,nearly #dj percent of license suspensions nationwide stem from unpaid fines1 missed child support payments1 and drug offenses--not from unsafe or intoxicated driving or failing to obtain automotive insurance4 ,suspension of a driver's or professional licenses is hugely counterproductive2 it punishes non-payment by taking away a person's means for making a living4 ,license suspension programs are also expensive for ,states to run and they distract law enforcement efforts from priorities related to public safety4 ,license suspensions may also be unconstitutional if the license was suspended before the judge determined the defendant had the ability to pay the criminal justice debt44 #c4 ,grants for driver's licenses reinstatement programs 7a7 ,in general ,subpart #a of part ,e of title ,i of the ,omnibus ,crime ,control and ,safe ,streets ,act of #aifh 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaea et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #eja7;a7 7#cd ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaeb7;a771 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,grants for driver's license reinstatement programs 7,a7 ,in general ,in addition to grants made under paragraph 7#a71 the ,attorney ,general may make grants to ,states described in subparagraph 7,b7 to cover costs incurred by the ,state to reinstate driver's licenses previously suspended for unpaid fines and fees4 7,b7 ,states described ,a ,state described in this subparagraph is a ,state that-- 7i7 does not have in effect any ,state or local law that permits-- 7,i7 the suspension or revocation of1 or refusal to renew1 a driver's license of an individual based on the individual's failure to pay a civil or criminal fine or fee2 or 7,,ii7 the refusal to renew the registration of a motor vehicle based on the owner's failure to pay a civil or criminal fine or fee2 and 7ii7 during the #c-year period ending on the date on which the ,state applies for or receives a grant under this paragraph1 has repealed a ,state or local law that permitted the suspension or revocation of1 or refusal to renew1 driver's licenses or the registration of a motor vehicle based on the failure to pay civil or criminal fines or fees4 7,c7 ,criteria ,the ,attorney ,general shall award grants under this section to eligible ,states that submit a plan to reinstate driver's licenses previously suspended for unpaid fines and fees-- 7i7 to maximize the number of individuals with suspended driver's licenses eligible to have driving privileges reinstated or regained2 7ii7 to provide assistance to individuals living in areas where public transportation options are limited2 and 7iii7 to ease the burden on ,states where the ,state or local law described in subparagraph 7,b7 was in effect during the #c-year period ending on the date on which a ,state applies for a grant under this paragraph in accordance with section #ejb4 7,d7 ,amount ,each grant awarded under this paragraph shall be not greater than #e percent of the amount allocated to the ,state in accordance with the formula established under section #eje4 7,e7 ,funds not used ,if the amount awarded to a ,state under this paragraph is greater than the cost to the ,state described in subparagraph 7,a71 the funds shall be transferred to the general fund of the ,treasury4 7,f7 ,report ,not later than #a year after the date on which a grant is made to a ,state under this paragraph1 the ,state shall submit to the ,attorney ,general a report that describes the program implemented under subparagraph 7,a71 including with respect to-- 7i7 the population served by the program2 7ii7 the number of driver's licenses reinstated under the program2 and 7iii7 all costs to the ,state of the program1 including how the grants under this paragraph were spent to defray such costs4 2 and 7#b7 in section #ejh-- 7,a7 by striking ,there and inserting 7a7 ,in general4--,there2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7b7 ,driver's license reinstatement programs ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out section #eja7;a77#c7 #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjba through #bjbe4 4 7b7 ,repeal 7#a7 ,in general ,section #aei of title #bc1 ,united ,states ,code1 is repealed4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the analysis for chapter #a of title #bc1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking the item relating to section #aei4