Florida House Leadership Wants to Reform Driver License Suspensions for Nontraffic Reasons

The leadership of the Florida House unveiled a bill offering a path to reinstatement for Floridians burdened by massive fines due to suspended and revoked driver licenses after a study from the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) found around 1.3 million drivers were suspended or had revoked licenses in the past year with around 167,000 of those for reasons that did not involve driving.

House Majority Whip Dana Young, R-Tampa, introduced the bill and it has the support of her close ally, House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.

Today, many Floridians cannot drive to work and afford to pay the mountain of fines associated with a suspended or revoked driver license, Young said. For these individuals, losing a driver license creates a barrier to staying employed and providing for their families.

These reforms strike the right balance between fairly enforcing the law and providing individuals looking to get back on their feet with a realistic and achievable path forward, Young added.

As part of our efforts to address the cycles of poverty in Florida, we have looked at the data, and it shows a suspended or revoked driver license can create a snowball effect that too often shuts Floridians out of employment, said Weatherford. I appreciate Rep. Youngs efforts to reform our system and provide these individuals with a firm but fair opportunity to re-enter the workforce.

With courts suspending drivers licenses for a variety of reasons -- writing bad checks, being convicted of theft and drug possession, failure to attend school, failing to pay child support -- Youngs bill proposes to do the following:

Prohibits the court from suspending for a first offense of failure to appear in court for a worthless check charge.

Leaves at the discretion of the court the decision to suspend for subsequent offenses of failure to appear in court for a worthless check charge.

Leaves at the discretion of the court the decision to suspend for anyone who is guilty of misdemeanor theft.

Reduces the length of revocation for drug-related convictions from two years to one year, while still allowing the drug treatment and rehabilitation option in order to reinstate after six months.

Allows someone owing child support to avoid suspension by beginning to pay the obligation by income deduction.

Allows a child support obligor to avoid suspension if extenuating circumstances can be proven, including
oReceiving re-employment assistance or unemployment compensation.
o Being disabled and incapable of self-support, or receiving Supplemental Social Security Income or Social Security Disability.
o Receiving temporary cash assistance.
o Paying a confirmed Chapter 11, 12, or 13 bankruptcy plan.