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June 30, 2021 By Ryan Songalia
New York drivers no longer need to worry about having their licenses suspended due to unpaid tickets.
The Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act took effect Tuesday, with all suspensions related to unpaid traffic and parking fines being lifted automatically.
The new law will end license suspensions due to non-payment of traffic fines, while making affordable payment plans available.
Drivers who have been hit with fines can enter into a payment plan of $25 a month or 2 percent of their net monthly income, whichever is greater. The plan is also available to drivers whose licenses were suspended.
“The Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act will finally begin the first step of addressing the disproportionately harsh outcomes that occur when a driver without financial means accumulates too much traffic debt,” said Assemblymember Pamela Hunter of Syracuse, the bill’s Assembly sponsor.
“Suspending a license for failure to pay a fine does nothing but punish low-income families that are disproportionately people of color. An income-based payment plan is fair and ensures everyone has an opportunity to resolve their license issues.”
The Department of Motor Vehicles will be sending written notices to those who have had their licenses suspended due to unpaid fines—and to inform them that they can enter into a payment plan.
The bill also addresses those whose licenses were suspended for failing to appear in court. Those people can go to the DMV or traffic court and state that they are there to clear their suspension and enter into a payment plan.
Licenses can still be suspended for other reasons, including driving under the influence, not having liability insurance or failure to pay child support.
The bill was introduced in 2019 after nearly 1.7 million driver’s licenses were suspended in New York between January 2016 and April 2018 due to non-payment and non-appearances, according to the Fines and Fees Justice Center.
The bill passed the State Assembly and Senate in July of 2020 before being signed in to law last December by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The legislation was co-sponsored by a number of Queens elected officials, including David Weprin and Catalina Cruz in the Assembly, and Jessica Ramos, Mike Gianaris and John Liu in the Senate.
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14 Comments
I was just charged 278.00 to get my suspended licence reenstated. How do I get my money back.
Please I promise to get it done I got a job now I can put a payment every time I get pay
A restricted license to go work 8 to5 Monday to Friday I promise to a payment every time I pay to I finished payment
How can you make a payment plan if you have tickets for a moving violation?
I PAID MY TICKETS IN 1988, I COME HOME FROM FEDERAL PRISON 30 YEARS LATER TO FIND A NOT ELIGIBLE NEXT TO MY NAME FOR A CIVIL PENALTY OF $300 I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT, BECAUSE I DIDN’T RECEIVE NOTICE WHEN I PAID THE FINE, AND THEY SENT NOTICE, THEY SAY, TO AN ADDRESS I NO LONGER LIVED AT. THE PENALTY WAS FOR DRIVING WITHOOUT A LICENSE, THEY STATE A NO INSURANCE, WHICH I DON’T REMEMBER, AND RUNNING A RED LIGHT. WHICH I DISPUTE WITHOUT MOMORY OF THE ISSUE IN 1988. ALL I WON’T IS THE ABILITY TO PAY THE CIVIL PENALTY IN PAYMENTS; AND FOR THEM TO TAKE AWAY THE NOT ELIGIBLE DESIGNATION IN THE DATA BASE. BECAUSE I’M TRYING TO GET MY PERMIT IN FLORIDA AND START MY LIFE OVER.
WTF: Driving is a privilege if you are a bad driver you get a ticket and get the license suspended , don’t use the low income disproportionate economically disadvantaged person as a scape goat for passing this law which makes no sense, pay your tickets’, respect the law. Another pass for the lawless and lawlessness. There is no accountability no punishment, time to leave the sh*t hole city and state, becoming a 3rd world city.
Woke insanity. Suspensions don’t target anyone! If you can’t pay the fines, there is a simple solution: don’t break the law!!!!
ummm…shouldnt they be in prison for unpaid parking tickets? whats next, hit and runs will be legal?
They should forgive all traffic tickets during the pandemic. A lot of people are under a great deal of stress and have been experiencing brain fog.
What’s the motivation for paying the tickets?
And if you are poor then you shouldn’t own a car!
If enough people of an ethnic minority commit a particular crime/violation, then the laws must be changed to accomodate them.
Obviously, people belonging to certain selected groups can, under no circumstances, be held individually accountable for their actions.
Identity politics at its worst.
How unbelievable is this! More reasons to disobey the laws and do as they please in NYC. Mopeds on the sidewalks, all sorts of bikes riding in reverse traffic direction, almost no one paying attention to traffic lights. It’s the Wild West in NYC thanks to the mayor, city council etc.
If I get a ticket tomorrow and there are no consequences for not paying the fine why should I pay it? Or can I pay the $25 once get my license back and go right back to my old ways?
All for making it easier for people to pay their fines off but this seems dangerous. If some people wont learn from their recklessness behavior after multiple times and many chances then maybe they need to lose their driving privileges. To many folks on the bike lanes now for dangerous driving ( I’m not a cyclists )
So really what they are saying is we dont have to pay tickets anymore because there are no consequences.
Also what I get from this is that if enough people dont show up to court and scream injustice the courts will just ignore the law and even change it. It’s great I’m gonna park anywhere and drive like a lunatic.