II 

Calendar No. 260 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 998 

To provide grants to States that do not suspend, revoke, 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 fee, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 25, 2021 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. WICKER, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. VAN

HOLLEN, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Ms. ERNST, Mr. WYDEN, 

Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, and Mr. 

OSSOFF) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

FEBRUARY 3, 2022 

Reported by Mr. DURBIN, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To provide grants to States that do not suspend, revoke, 

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 fee, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Driving for Oppor3 tunity Act of 2021’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) Driving a vehicle is an essential aspect of 

7 the daily lives of most people in the United States. 

8 (2) Driving is often required to access jobs and 

9 healthcare, take care of family, get groceries, and 

10 fulfill other basic responsibilities. 

11 (3) In many small cities, towns, and rural areas 

12 that do not have public transportation and ride13 sharing alternatives, driving is often the only real14 istic means of transportation. 

15 (4) Even in cities with public transportation 

16 and ridesharing options, individuals vulnerable to in17 fection during the COVID–19 pandemic and those 

18 complying with public health guidance regarding so19 cial distancing are increasingly reliant on driving as 

20 their primary means of transportation for essential 

21 travel. 

22 (5) In the United States, millions of Americans 

23 have had their driver’s licenses suspended for unpaid 

24 court fines and fees. 

25 (6) A person whose driver’s license is suspended 

26 or revoked for unpaid fines and fees will often find 


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1 it more difficult to earn a living and therefore pay 

2 the debt owed to the government. 

3 (7) The barrier to employment posed by driver’s 

4 license suspensions and revocations for unpaid fines 

5 and fees is especially problematic during the 

6 COVID–19 pandemic, when the unemployment rate 

7 is the highest it has been since the Great Depres8 sion. 

9 (8) Drunk and dangerous driving are some of 

10 the leading causes of death and serious bodily injury 

11 in the United States, and promoting safety on the 

12 roads is a legitimate, necessary, and core govern13 mental function. Suspending a license for unsafe 

14 driving conduct presents different considerations 

15 than suspending a license for unpaid fines and fees. 

16 Suspending a license for unsafe driving is an appro17 priate tool to protect public safety. Policymakers 

18 also may consider alternatives to suspension of a li19 cense for unsafe driving such as ignition interlock 

20 device programs. 

21 (9) According to the National Highway Traffic 

22 Safety Administration, every year on average, over 

23 34,000 people are killed and 2,400,000 more people 

24 are injured in motor vehicle crashes. Some of the 

25 major causes of these crashes include speeding, imVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:46 Feb 03, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S998.RS S998

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1 paired driving, and distracted driving. Nearly half of 

2 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes are un3 restrained. The societal harm caused by motor vehi4 cle crashes has been valued at $836,000,000,000 an5 nually. The enactment of, enforcement of, and edu6 cation regarding traffic laws are key to addressing 

7 unsafe behavior and promoting public safety. 

8 (10) However, most driver’s license suspensions 

9 are not based on the need to protect public safety. 

10 (11) In the State of Florida, 1,100,000 resi11 dents received a suspension notice for unpaid fines 

12 and fees in 2017 alone. 

13 (12) Between 2010 and 2017, all but 3 States 

14 increased the amount of fines and fees for civil and 

15 criminal violations. 

16 (13) In the United States, 40 percent of all 

17 driver’s license suspensions are issued for conduct 

18 that was unrelated to driving. 

19 (14) In 2015, the State of Washington cal20 culated that State troopers spent 70,848 hours deal21 ing with license suspensions for non-driving offenses. 

22 (15) The American Association of Motor Vehi23 cle Administrators estimated that arresting a person 

24 for driving with a suspended license can take 9 

25 hours of an officer’s time, including waiting for a 


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1 tow truck, transporting an individual to jail, filling 

2 out paperwork, making a court appearance, and 

3 other administrative duties and accordingly Wash4 ington State Patrol Chief John Batiste called non5 driving suspensions a ‘‘drain on the system as a 

6 whole’’. 

7 (16) The Colorado Department of Motor Vehi8 cles determined that suspending driver’s licenses for 

9 offenses unrelated to driving consumed 8,566 hours 

10 per year of staff time in the Department. 

11 (17) Many States impose a significant fee for 

12 reinstating a suspended driver’s license, such as Ala13 bama, where the fee is $275. 

14 (18) Driving on a suspended license is one of 

15 the most common criminal charges in jurisdictions 

16 across the country. 

17 (19) Seventy-five percent of those with sus18 pended licenses report continuing to drive. 

19 (20) It is more likely that those people are also 

20 driving without insurance due to the costs and re21 strictions associated with obtaining auto insurance 

22 on a suspended license, thereby placing a greater fi23 nancial burden on other drivers when a driver with 

24 a suspended license causes an accident. 


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1 (21) The American Association of Motor Vehi2 cle Administrators has concluded the following: 

3 ‘‘Drivers who have been suspended for social non4 conformance-related offenses are often trapped with5 in the system. Some cannot afford to pay the origi6 nal fines, and may lose their ability to legally get to 

7 and from work as a result of the suspension. Many 

8 make the decision to drive while suspended. The sus9 pension results in increased financial obligations 

10 through new requirements such as reinstatement 

11 fees, court costs, and other penalties. While there is 

12 a clear societal interest in keeping those who are 

13 unfit to drive off the roads, broadly restricting li14 censes for violations unrelated to an individual’s 

15 ability to drive safely may do more harm than good. 

16 This is especially true in areas of the country that 

17 lack alternative means of transportation. For those 

18 individuals, a valid driver license can be a means to 

19 survive. Local communities, employers, and employ20 ees all experience negative consequences as a result 

21 of social non-conformity suspensions, including un22 employment, lower wages, fewer employment oppor23 tunities and hiring choices, and increased insurance 

24 costs.’’. 


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1 (22) A report by the Harvard Law School 

2 Criminal Justice Policy Program concluded the fol3 lowing: ‘‘The suspension of a driver’s or professional 

4 license is one of the most pervasive poverty traps for 

5 poor people assessed a fine that they cannot afford 

6 to pay. The practice is widespread. Nearly 40 per7 cent of license suspensions nationwide stem from un8 paid fines, missed child support payments, and drug 

9 offenses—not from unsafe or intoxicated driving or 

10 failing to obtain automotive insurance. Suspension of 

11 a driver’s or professional licenses is hugely counter12 productive; it punishes non-payment by taking away 

13 a person’s means for making a living. License sus14 pension programs are also expensive for States to 

15 run and they distract law enforcement efforts from 

16 priorities related to public safety. License suspen17 sions may also be unconstitutional if the license was 

18 suspended before the judge determined the defend19 ant had the ability to pay the criminal justice debt.’’. 

20 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR DRIVER’S LICENSES REINSTATEMENT 

21 PROGRAMS. 

22 Subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime 

23 Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151 

24 et seq.) is amended— 


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1 (1) in section 501(a) (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)), by 

2 adding at the end the following: 

3 ‘‘(3) GRANTS FOR DRIVER’S LICENSE REIN4 STATEMENT PROGRAMS.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to grants 

6 made under paragraph (1), the Attorney Gen7 eral may make grants to States described in 

8 subparagraph (B) to cover costs incurred by the 

9 State to reinstate driver’s licenses previously 

10 suspended for unpaid fines and fees. 

11 ‘‘(B) STATES DESCRIBED.—A State de12 scribed in this subparagraph is a State that— 

13 ‘‘(i) does not have in effect any State 

14 or local law that permits— 

15 ‘‘(I) the suspension or revocation 

16 of, or refusal to renew, a driver’s li17 cense of an individual based on the in18 dividual’s failure to pay a civil or 

19 criminal fine or fee; or 

20 ‘‘(II) the refusal to renew the 

21 registration of a motor vehicle based 

22 on the owner’s failure to pay a civil or 

23 criminal fine or fee; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) during the 3-year period ending 

25 on the date on which the State applies for 


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1 or receives a grant under this paragraph, 

2 has repealed a State or local law that per3 mitted the suspension or revocation of, or 

4 refusal to renew, driver’s licenses or the 

5 registration of a motor vehicle based on 

6 the failure to pay civil or criminal fines or 

7 fees. 

8 ‘‘(C) CRITERIA.—The Attorney General 

9 shall award grants under this section to eligible 

10 States that submit a plan to reinstate driver’s 

11 licenses previously suspended for unpaid fines 

12 and fees— 

13 ‘‘(i) to maximize the number of indi14 viduals with suspended driver’s licenses eli15 gible to have driving privileges reinstated 

16 or regained; 

17 ‘‘(ii) to provide assistance to individ18 uals living in areas where public transpor19 tation options are limited; and 

20 ‘‘(iii) to ease the burden on States 

21 where the State or local law described in 

22 subparagraph (B) was in effect during the 

23 3-year period ending on the date on which 

24 a State applies for a grant under this 

25 paragraph in accordance with section 502. 


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1 ‘‘(D) AMOUNT.—Each grant awarded 

2 under this paragraph shall be not greater than 

3 5 percent of the amount allocated to the State 

4 in accordance with the formula established 

5 under section 505. 

6 ‘‘(E) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 

7 after the date on which a grant is made to a 

8 State under this paragraph, the State shall sub9 mit to the Attorney General a report that de10 scribes the program implemented under sub11 paragraph (A), including with respect to— 

12 ‘‘(i) the population served by the pro13 gram; 

14 ‘‘(ii) the number of driver’s licenses 

15 reinstated under the program; and 

16 ‘‘(iii) all costs to the State of the pro17 gram, including how the grants under this 

18 paragraph were spent to defray such 

19 costs.’’; and 

20 (2) in section 508— 

21 (A) by striking ‘‘There’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) 

22 In General.—There’’; and 

23 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

24 ‘‘(b) DRIVER’S LICENSE REINSTATEMENT PRO25 GRAMS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 


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1 out section 501(a)(3) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

2 2021 through 2025.’’. 

3 SEC. 4. GAO STUDY. 

4 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 

5 States shall conduct a study of the implementation of the 

6 grant program in paragraph (3) of section 501(a) of the 

7 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 

8 U.S.C. 10152(a)), as added by section 3(a) of this Act, 

9 that— 

10 (1) includes what is known about the effect of 

11 repealing State laws, in selected States, that had 

12 permitted the suspension or revocation of, or refusal 

13 to renew, driver’s licenses or the registration of a 

14 motor vehicle based on the failure to pay civil or 

15 criminal fines or fees, including such factors, to the 

16 extent information is available, as— 

17 (A) the collection of fines and fees; 

18 (B) the usage of law enforcement re19 sources; 

20 (C) economic mobility and unemployment; 

21 (D) rates of enforcement of traffic safety 

22 laws through the tracking of number of sum23 monses and violations issued (including those 

24 related to automated enforcement technologies); 


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1 (E) the use of suspensions for public safe2 ty-related reasons (including reckless driving, 

3 speeding, and driving under the influence); 

4 (F) safety-critical traffic events (including 

5 in localities with automated enforcement pro6 grams); 

7 (G) the rates of license suspensions and 

8 proportion of unlicensed drivers; 

9 (H) racial and geographic disparities; and 

10 (I) administrative costs (including costs as11 sociated with the collection of fines and fees 

12 and with the reinstatement of driver’s licenses); 

13 and 

14 (2) includes what is known about— 

15 (A) existing alternatives to driver’s license 

16 suspension as methods of enforcement and col17 lection of unpaid fines and fees; and 

18 (B) existing alternatives to traditional driv19 er’s license suspension for certain kinds of un20 safe driving, including models that allow drivers 

21 to continue to drive legally while pursuing driv22 er improvement opportunities. 

23 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

24 of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 

25 United States shall submit to the Committee on the JudiVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:46 Feb 03, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S998.RS S998

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1 ciary and the Committee on Environment and Public 

2 Works of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary 

3 and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

4 a report on the study required under subsection (a). 

5 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

6 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Driving for Opportunity 

7 Act of 2021’’. 

8 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

9 Congress finds the following: 

10 (1) Driving a vehicle is an essential aspect of the 

11 daily lives of most people in the United States. 

12 (2) Driving is often required to access jobs and 

13 healthcare, take care of family, get groceries, and ful14 fill other basic responsibilities. 

15 (3) In many small cities, towns, and rural areas 

16 that do not have public transportation and ride17 sharing alternatives, driving is often the only realistic 

18 means of transportation. 

19 (4) Even in cities with public transportation 

20 and ridesharing options, individuals vulnerable to in21 fection during the COVID–19 pandemic and those 

22 complying with public health guidance regarding so23 cial distancing are increasingly reliant on driving as 

24 their primary means of transportation for essential 

25 travel. 


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1 (5) In the United States, millions of Americans 

2 have had their driver’s licenses suspended for unpaid 

3 court fines and fees. 

4 (6) A person whose driver’s license is suspended 

5 or revoked for unpaid fines and fees will often find 

6 it more difficult to earn a living and therefore pay 

7 the debt owed to the government. 

8 (7) The barrier to employment posed by driver’s 

9 license suspensions and revocations for unpaid fines 

10 and fees is especially problematic during the COVID– 

11 19 pandemic, when the unemployment rate is the 

12 highest it has been since the Great Depression. 

13 (8) Drunk and dangerous driving are some of the 

14 leading causes of death and serious bodily injury in 

15 the United States, and promoting safety on the roads 

16 is a legitimate, necessary, and core governmental 

17 function. Suspending a license for unsafe driving con18 duct presents different considerations than suspending 

19 a license for unpaid fines and fees. Suspending a li20 cense for unsafe driving is an appropriate tool to pro21 tect public safety. Policymakers also may consider al22 ternatives to suspension of a license for unsafe driving 

23 such as ignition interlock device programs. 

24 (9) According to the National Highway Traffic 

25 Safety Administration, every year on average, over 


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1 34,000 people are killed and 2,400,000 more people 

2 are injured in motor vehicle crashes. Some of the 

3 major causes of these crashes include speeding, im4 paired driving, and distracted driving. Nearly half of 

5 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes are unre6 strained. The societal harm caused by motor vehicle 

7 crashes has been valued at $836,000,000,000 annu8 ally. The enactment of, enforcement of, and education 

9 regarding traffic laws are key to addressing unsafe 

10 behavior and promoting public safety. 

11 (10) However, most driver’s license suspensions 

12 are not based on the need to protect public safety. 

13 (11) In the State of Florida, 1,100,000 residents 

14 received a suspension notice for unpaid fines and fees 

15 in 2017 alone. 

16 (12) Between 2010 and 2017, all but 3 States in17 creased the amount of fines and fees for civil and 

18 criminal violations. 

19 (13) In the United States, 40 percent of all driv20 er’s license suspensions are issued for conduct that 

21 was unrelated to driving. 

22 (14) In 2015, the State of Washington calculated 

23 that State troopers spent 70,848 hours dealing with 

24 license suspensions for non-driving offenses. 


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1 (15) The American Association of Motor Vehicle 

2 Administrators estimated that arresting a person for 

3 driving with a suspended license can take 9 hours of 

4 an officer’s time, including waiting for a tow truck, 

5 transporting an individual to jail, filling out paper6 work, making a court appearance, and other adminis7 trative duties and accordingly Washington State Pa8 trol Chief John Batiste called non-driving suspensions 

9 a ‘‘drain on the system as a whole’’. 

10 (16) The Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles 

11 determined that suspending driver’s licenses for of12 fenses unrelated to driving consumed 8,566 hours per 

13 year of staff time in the Department. 

14 (17) Many States impose a significant fee for re15 instating a suspended driver’s license, such as Ala16 bama, where the fee is $275. 

17 (18) Driving on a suspended license is one of the 

18 most common criminal charges in jurisdictions across 

19 the country. 

20 (19) Seventy-five percent of those with suspended 

21 licenses report continuing to drive. 

22 (20) It is more likely that those people are also 

23 driving without insurance due to the costs and re24 strictions associated with obtaining auto insurance on 

25 a suspended license, thereby placing a greater finanVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:46 Feb 03, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S998.RS S998

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1 cial burden on other drivers when a driver with a 

2 suspended license causes an accident. 

3 (21) The American Association of Motor Vehicle 

4 Administrators has concluded the following: ‘‘Drivers 

5 who have been suspended for social non-conformance6 related offenses are often trapped within the system. 

7 Some cannot afford to pay the original fines, and 

8 may lose their ability to legally get to and from work 

9 as a result of the suspension. Many make the decision 

10 to drive while suspended. The suspension results in 

11 increased financial obligations through new require12 ments such as reinstatement fees, court costs, and 

13 other penalties. While there is a clear societal interest 

14 in keeping those who are unfit to drive off the roads, 

15 broadly restricting licenses for violations unrelated to 

16 an individual’s ability to drive safely may do more 

17 harm than good. This is especially true in areas of 

18 the country that lack alternative means of transpor19 tation. For those individuals, a valid driver license 

20 can be a means to survive. Local communities, em21 ployers, and employees all experience negative con22 sequences as a result of social non-conformity suspen23 sions, including unemployment, lower wages, fewer 

24 employment opportunities and hiring choices, and in25 creased insurance costs.’’. 


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1 (22) A report by the Harvard Law School 

2 Criminal Justice Policy Program concluded the fol3 lowing: ‘‘The suspension of a driver’s or professional 

4 license is one of the most pervasive poverty traps for 

5 poor people assessed a fine that they cannot afford to 

6 pay. The practice is widespread. Nearly 40 percent of 

7 license suspensions nationwide stem from unpaid 

8 fines, missed child support payments, and drug of9 fenses—not from unsafe or intoxicated driving or fail10 ing to obtain automotive insurance. Suspension of a 

11 driver’s or professional licenses is hugely counter12 productive; it punishes non-payment by taking away 

13 a person’s means for making a living. License suspen14 sion programs are also expensive for States to run 

15 and they distract law enforcement efforts from prior16 ities related to public safety. License suspensions may 

17 also be unconstitutional if the license was suspended 

18 before the judge determined the defendant had the 

19 ability to pay the criminal justice debt.’’. 

20 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR DRIVER’S LICENSES REINSTATEMENT 

21 PROGRAMS. 

22 Subpart 1 of part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime 

23 Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10151 et 

24 seq.) is amended— 


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1 (1) in section 501(a) (34 U.S.C. 10152(a)), by 

2 adding at the end the following: 

3 ‘‘(3) GRANTS FOR DRIVER’S LICENSE REINSTATE4 MENT PROGRAMS.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In addition to grants 

6 made under paragraph (1), the Attorney General 

7 may make grants to States described in subpara8 graph (B) to cover costs incurred by the State to 

9 reinstate or renew driver’s licenses or motor vehi10 cle registrations previously suspended, revoked, 

11 or failed to be renewed for unpaid civil or crimi12 nal fines or fees. 

13 ‘‘(B) STATES DESCRIBED.—A State de14 scribed in this subparagraph is a State that— 

15 ‘‘(i) does not have in effect any State 

16 or local law that permits— 

17 ‘‘(I) the suspension or revocation 

18 of, or refusal to renew, a driver’s li19 cense of an individual based on the in20 dividual’s failure to pay a civil or 

21 criminal fine or fee; or 

22 ‘‘(II) the refusal to renew the reg23 istration of a motor vehicle based on 

24 the owner’s failure to pay a civil or 

25 criminal fine or fee; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) during the 3-year period ending 

2 on the date on which the State applies for 

3 or receives a grant under this paragraph, 

4 has repealed a State or local law that per5 mitted the suspension or revocation of, or 

6 refusal to renew, driver’s licenses or the reg7 istration of a motor vehicle based on the 

8 failure to pay civil or criminal fines or fees. 

9 ‘‘(C) CRITERIA.—The Attorney General 

10 shall award grants under this paragraph to 

11 States described in subparagraph (B) that sub12 mit a plan to reinstate or renew driver’s licenses 

13 or motor vehicle registrations previously sus14 pended, revoked, or failed to be renewed for un15 paid civil or criminal fines or fees— 

16 ‘‘(i) to maximize the number of indi17 viduals with suspended or revoked driver’s 

18 licenses or motor vehicle registrations eligi19 ble to have driving privileges reinstated or 

20 regained; 

21 ‘‘(ii) to provide assistance to individ22 uals living in areas where public transpor23 tation options are limited; and 

24 ‘‘(iii) to ease the burden on States 

25 where the State or local law described in 


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1 subparagraph (B)(ii) was in effect during 

2 the 3-year period ending on the date on 

3 which a State applies for a grant under this 

4 paragraph in accordance with section 502. 

5 ‘‘(D) AMOUNT.—Each grant awarded under 

6 this paragraph shall be not greater than 5 per7 cent of the amount allocated to the State in ac8 cordance with the formula established under sec9 tion 505. 

10 ‘‘(E) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 

11 the date on which a grant is made to a State 

12 under this paragraph, the State shall submit to 

13 the Attorney General a report that describes the 

14 actions of the State to carry out activities de15 scribed in subparagraph (A), including with re16 spect to— 

17 ‘‘(i) the population served by the pro18 gram; 

19 ‘‘(ii) the number of driver’s licenses 

20 and motor vehicle registrations reinstated or 

21 renewed under the program; and 

22 ‘‘(iii) all costs to the State of the pro23 gram, including how the grants under this 

24 paragraph were spent to defray such costs.’’; 

25 and 


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1 (2) in section 508— 

2 (A) by striking ‘‘There’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) 

3 IN GENERAL.—There’’; and 

4 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(b) DRIVER’S LICENSE REINSTATEMENT PRO6 GRAMS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry 

7 out section 501(a)(3) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

8 2022 through 2026.’’. 

9 SEC. 4. GAO STUDY. 

10 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 

11 States shall conduct a study of the implementation of the 

12 grant program in paragraph (3) of section 501(a) of the 

13 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (34 

14 U.S.C. 10152(a)), as added by section 3(a) of this Act, 

15 that— 

16 (1) includes what is known about the effect of re17 pealing State laws, in selected States, that had per18 mitted the suspension or revocation of, or refusal to 

19 renew, driver’s licenses or the registration of a motor 

20 vehicle based on the failure to pay civil or criminal 

21 fines or fees, including such factors, to the extent in22 formation is available, as— 

23 (A) the collection of fines and fees; 

24 (B) the usage of law enforcement resources; 

25 (C) economic mobility and unemployment; 


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1 (D) rates of enforcement of traffic safety 

2 laws through the tracking of number of sum3 monses and violations issued (including those re4 lated to automated enforcement technologies); 

5 (E) the use of suspensions for public safety6 related reasons (including reckless driving, 

7 speeding, and driving under the influence); 

8 (F) safety-critical traffic events (including 

9 in localities with automated enforcement pro10 grams); 

11 (G) the rates of license suspensions and pro12 portion of unlicensed drivers; 

13 (H) racial and geographic disparities; and 

14 (I) administrative costs (including costs as15 sociated with the collection of fines and fees and 

16 with the reinstatement of driver’s licenses); and 

17 (2) includes what is known about— 

18 (A) existing alternatives to driver’s license 

19 suspension as methods of enforcement and collec20 tion of unpaid fines and fees; and 

21 (B) existing alternatives to traditional driv22 er’s license suspension for certain kinds of unsafe 

23 driving, including models that allow drivers to 

24 continue to drive legally while pursuing driver 

25 improvement opportunities. 


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1 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 

2 of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 

3 United States shall submit to the Committee on the Judici4 ary and the Committee on Environment and Public Works 

5 of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary and the 

6 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure a report 

7 on the study required under subsection (a). 

8 SEC. 5. REPEAL. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 159 of title 23, United 

10 States Code, is repealed. 

11 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chapter 

12 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking 

13 the item relating to section 159. 


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Calendar No. 260 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 998 

A BILL 

To provide grants to States that do not suspend, 

fine or fee, and for other purposes. motor vehicle for failure to pay a civil or criminal person or refuse to renew a registration of a revoke, or refuse to renew a driver’s license of a 

FEBRUARY 3, 2022 

Reported with an amendment 


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