Drivers with Suspended Licenses Due to Unpaid Court Debt Will be Eligible for Reinstatement Starting July 1

VOICE Launches Widespread Outreach Campaign to Reach Those Affected

NORTHERN VIRGINIA – With more than 620,000 Virginians eligible to get their driver’s licenses reinstated July 1, VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) is launching an outreach campaign this week to ensure awareness on the part of drivers whose licenses were suspended solely for unpaid court fines and fees.

Reinstatement was a major objective of a VOICE criminal justice reform campaign in the 2019 session of the General Assembly. Advocates for years have pushed for a change to the draconian practice that has punished Virginia residents simply for being poor and unable to pay court debts. During the session, VOICE played a key role in winning bipartisan support for a bill introduced by Sen. Bill Stanley (R-20) to end this court system practice.

 The change, slated to go into effect July 1, will “allow more than 620,000 Virginians to do what is needed and to regain the right to do something they were denied before today — drive to work, pick up their children from school, or take an elderly parent to a doctor’s appointment. This practice effectively denied people driver’s licenses simply for being poor and, as often is the case, people of color,” said Rev. Dr. Keith Savage, pastor of First Baptist Manassas.  “This issue affects thousands of people in our congregations and communities. We see the impact every day.”

Under the new law, drivers whose licenses were suspended solely for unpaid court fines or fees will not be required to pay a license reinstatement fee. However, the new law does not cancel the underlying fines or fees that are owed.

In cooperation with the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, VOICE will undertake a major outreach effort in its 50-plus institutions and communities to ensure the word gets out about the eligibility for license reinstatement. VOICE has created a special page on its website, http://www.voice-iaf.org/Was-your-Driver-License-Suspended, with information and links to resources outlining how a license can be reinstated.

In October, VOICE convened 1,400 people to ask Gov. Ralph Northam to help end this practice by allocating money in his budget to replace revenue lost from reinstatement fees, roughly $9 million per year. The loss of that money had been a significant roadblock to ending the practice.  In December, Gov. Northam followed through on his commitment to VOICE and allocated the needed funding in his proposed budget.    

During the 2019 General Assembly, VOICE sent teams of leaders from local congregations to discuss the issue with dozens of lawmakers and urge support for Sen. Stanley’s bill to end the practice of driver’s license suspensions and accept the Governor’s budget amendment.  VOICE also helped to organize key Virginia allies, such as business leaders and denominational bishops, who in turn helped organize support for the bill in key Virginia districts.

The law prevents Virginia courts from suspending licenses due to unpaid or delinquent court debt from July 1 to June 30, 2020. The General Assembly would have to approve new legislation to ensure these changes remain in effect after that.

VOICE is a multi-faith, nonpartisan citizen’s power organization representing more than 180,000 families in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties and the city of Alexandria. For more on VOICE’s 10-year track record of achievement on mortgage foreclosure help for hard-hit communities, thousands of new and renovated affordable-housing units, dental care for low- and moderate-income adults, pre-K program expansion, and much more, see www.voice-iaf.org.