Capitol Update: Driver’s License Suspension Bill To Be Heard in Committee

MAC looks forward to a House Bill 330 hearing in the House Motor Vehicles committee.

Issue Summary: Driver’s license suspensions due to a failure to pay fines and fees impact Georgians’ ability to drive to work and earn a living. As 86% of Americans drive to work and many jobs require driver’s licenses, having a license suspended puts individuals in a position of not being able to access work, healthcare, and necessities such as groceries.

About 40% of driver’s license suspensions are for unpaid traffic tickets and other things unrelated to unsafe driving, according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

In 2019, Georgia suspended over 200,000 Driver’s Licenses; 105,067 for Failure to Appear in court for minor traffic offenses. Often, these individuals aren’t even aware they had a court date.

Driver’s licenses are critical to Georgia’s workforce and economy:

• In 2020, there were 122,710 job postings requiring a driver’s license.
• 2020 demand for driver’s licenses has surpassed 2019 by more than 20%.
• From 2016 to 2020, job postings requiring a driver’s license have increased 79%.

House Bill 330 eliminates the driver’s license reinstatement fee for those that cannot afford it, allowing them to get back to work and earn a paycheck. With this bill, individuals who meet the requisite poverty guidelines will sign a pauper’s affidavit and receive a full waiver of the driver’s license reinstatement fee.

MAC Position: Support

Sponsor: Rep. Bill Werkheiser (R-Glennville)

Status History:

• 2/8/21 – Introduced

Read House Bill 330 here.