The Honorable Charles. E. Schumer
Senate Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Senate Republican Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Richard J. Durbin
Senate Majority Whip
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable John Thune
Senate Republican Whip
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Sep 12, 2023
Dear Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Whip Durbin and Whip Thune:
The undersigned organizations endorse the Driving for Opportunity Act of 2023, asshown in the quotes that follow, and recognize the urgency of addressing debt-based
driver’s license suspension. We all agree that suspensions and restrictions of driver’slicenses for unpaid court fines and fees fail to improve public safety and restrict economic
opportunity for millions of Americans. The Driving for Opportunity Act of 2023, abipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Roger Wicker, recognizes theunintended harms of this counterproductive practice and supports communities
transitioning away from this strategy.
One in three American families are impacted by fines and fees that are imposed as a resultof a criminal or traffic offense. Unpaid fines and fees can lead to a driver’s licensesuspension or other restrictions on driving. Driving a vehicle is essential for finding andkeeping a good job, pursuing education, accessing child care, and obtaining otherfoundations for a stable and productive life. As Americans struggle to make ends meet,debt-based license suspensions are making it significantly more difficult for families toachieve critical financial stability.
Millions of Americans have a suspended or revoked driver’s license solely because of
unpaid court debt rather than unsafe driving. Such “debt-based suspension” is a means
through which governments try to compel payment. This system is inherently faulty:
someone who cannot drive will likely have a difficult time securing access to work,
especially in rural and low-income communities where public transportation is limited,making debt repayment even more difficult or impossible.
Suspensions and revocations of driver’s licenses for non-driving related conduct may
harm public safety. Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges lose countlesshours enforcing these laws at the expense of responding to more pressing issues in theircommunities on and off the road. In addition, having a suspended license exposes drivers
to additional fines, arrest, incarceration, or other entanglements with the criminal legalsystem. Half the states, ranging from Texas to New York, have amended their own
policies to eliminate or restrict driver’s license suspensions for unpaid court debt.
The Driving for Opportunity Act of 2023 authorizes federal funding to support states thatare choosing to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions. Under this legislation,state governments would receive limited federal assistance to manage some of the costs
associated with eliminating debt-based suspensions and reinstating licenses. Passage of
the Driving for Opportunity Act presents an opportunity for Congress to lift up adata-backed, widely supported policy reform and provide modest support for state
governments that are embracing this common sense measure.
The undersigned organizations have different reasons for joining in support of thislegislation, which they state in their own words below. All agree that suspensions andrevocations of driver’s licenses for unpaid court fines and fees should be discouraged, andthat:
Debt-based license suspensions enable mass criminalization and surveillance, particularly
in low-income communities that already experience racial profiling and excessive policing.
Passing the Driving for Opportunity Act is a necessary step toward creating a morelegitimate legal system that values civil rights and liberties over profit.” — Emily Reina
Dindial, Senior Policy Counsel at the ACLU’s Justice Division.
“Suspending licenses limits people’s ability to access work, groceries, education and healthcare services but it does not increase safety, and AASHTO and state DOTs believe ourfocus should always be on safety. We very much appreciate the leadership of Senators
Coons and Wicker to improve access to opportunities.” — Jim Tymon, Executive Director,
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
“Suspending drivers’ licenses for non-public safety reasons such as unpaid fines and fees
creates unnecessary hardships for those with limited means and is counterintuitive to its
intended goal. A driver’s license could be the difference between maintaining a job or
falling deeper into financial trouble, thereby making it more difficult to pay the court
obligations in the first place. This bill will help states move towards a better system wheredrivers’ licenses are suspended only when they have a substantial nexus to public safety,
rather than as a misguided stick.” — Mark Holden, Chairman of Americans for Prosperity.
“No one should be denied the privilege of driving a car because of an unpaid fine or fee.
Denying a person a driver’s license because they owe money creates a modern version of
the debtors' prison - you cannot leave your house until you pay your debts, but you cannot
pay your debt if you cannot go to work. This is wrong.” — Grover Norquist, President ofAmericans for Tax Reform.
“The suspension of an individual driver’s license for not paying fines and fees is an archaicpractice that needs to end. The Driving for Opportunity Act incentivizes states to make thesmart choice for fairness and come up with alternative means for payment of this debt. Thisbill has even greater impact today as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Allowing

people to drive their own vehicles, rather than take public transportation that is now both
scarce and potentially dangerous, is a far better option.” — Shana O’Toole, President ofthe Due Process Institute.
“Suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid court debt is not about safety; it’s a failed
experiment in generating government revenue from low-income communities. The current
system is forcing millions of people across the United States to make an impossible choice:stop driving—and lose access to work and other basic necessities—or keep driving, andrisk jail time and more unaffordable fines. For our economy to flourish, we must end thecruel and counterproductive practice of debt-based driver’s license suspensions.” —Joanna Weiss and Lisa Foster, Co-Directors of the Fines and Fees Justice Center.
“Our communities are safest when everyone has the opportunity to provide for their familyand pursue their potential. The inability to pay fines and fees for minor mistakes andtechnical violations should never stand in the way of someone getting back and forth towork, or being able to get their children to school. Transitioning communities away fromdebt-based drivers license suspensions is good for both public safety and the economy.” —Inimai Chettiar, Deputy Director of Justice Action Network.
“Debt-based driver’s license suspension is a terribly misguided policy because it makes it
virtually impossible for anyone trying to work to repay their debt to society. Instead ofmaking it harder for folks to get right with the law, we should be making it easier so thatthey can contribute positively in their local community. This bill will take an important step
towards that goal. We are proud to support this legislation because our organization exists
to empower the U.S. Hispanic community so it can thrive and contribute to a more
prosperous America.” — Daniel Garza, President of The LIBRE Initiative.
“The Major County Sheriffs of America commends Senator Coons and Senator Wicker for
introducing the Driving for Opportunity Act. Our member Sheriffs are committed to building
and maintaining trust in our communities. Providing an incentive for states to choose toupdate their laws to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions fosters community
resiliency and helps those with past violations move forward in a positive direction.” —Megan Noland, Executive Director of Major County Sheriffs of America.
“For most Americans, maintaining a driver’s license is essential to fulfilling family
responsibilities and maintaining employment. The burden of debt-based driver’s licensesuspension is not borne evenly throughout the nation: driver’s license suspensions trap
poor people in a cycle of escalating debt, diminished employment opportunities and family
hardship, and disproportionately impact people of color. Faced with the Hobson’s choice ofrisking arrest or sacrificing their families’ basic needs, many choose to drive on asuspended license and incur arrest, diverting public safety resources and overwhelming
criminal courts and court actors with these low-level cases. Furthermore, there is norational nexus between the failure to pay a debt and the right to drive. This is a flawed,
irrational, and costly policy.” — Lisa M. Wayne, Executive Director of the National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

"Our commitment to justice calls for a balance that protects public safety while
understanding the economic realities many Americans face. The Driving for Opportunity
Act embodies this principle, striking a balance between public safety and economic
hardship. It puts public safety front and center, not debt collection, and fosters a systemthat respects the accused, supports victims, and serves our whole community. This
bipartisan effort underscores our shared goals for a fair, effective, and compassionate
justice system." — Nelson Bunn, Executive Director of the National District Attorneys
Association.
“Driver license suspensions for pending court fines and fees are crippling to thosestruggling in poverty, a group of people the Bible calls us to protect. We want people toprovide for their families, make amends, and actually pay off financial sanctions. Taking
away the ability to drive, especially for those already struggling financially, iscounterproductive to these goals. By cosponsoring and passing the Driving for Opportunity
Act, federal lawmakers can advance a more restorative approach to justice.” — Heather
Rice-Minus, Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Prison Fellowship.
“In more than two-thirds of states, individuals can lose their driver’s license over unpaid
fines or fees. This counter-productive practice contributes to a perpetual cycle ofpunishment for the inability to pay debt. Driver’s license suspensions can have devastating
effects that can cost Americans their livelihoods and limit opportunities for businesses andtheir employees. For businesses, employees can’t get to work, goods and services can’t betransported, and the workforce talent pool may be limited. Challenges in recruiting andretaining a skilled and diverse workforce due to debt-based suspensions could limit
productivity and ultimately affect a company’s success.”— Neil Bradley, Executive Vice
President and Chief Policy Officer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

CC: Senator Chris Coons
Senator Roger Wicker