New Year Brings Much-Needed Reforms to Driver’s License Suspensions

Trenton – Legislation Senator Shirley K. Turner sponsored to reform mandatory suspension of driver’s licenses went into effect on January 1. The new law prevents New Jerseyans from suffering the consequences of mandatory driver’s license suspension as a penalty related to non-driving related violations and offenses.

“For far too many years, New Jersey drivers have been punished with driver’s license suspensions and extra costs when they cannot afford to pay their fines, fees, and surcharges,” said Senator Turner (D-Hunterdon/Mercer). “People who work paycheck to paycheck get caught in a never-ending cycle of accumulating costs and suspensions and there is no end in sight to satisfying their debt to the Motor Vehicle Commission. I am gratified that New Jersey has finally removed this barrier to employment and financial stability for our residents.”

Under the new law, license suspension will no longer be mandatory for failure to pay parking tickets, drug-related offenses that are not related to driving, and other offenses. For certain violations and offenses, the court will have the discretion to suspend a person’s driver’s license, but must consider the circumstances of the violation and whether the loss of driving privileges will result in extreme financial hardship and whether alternative means of transportation are available. The new law also prohibits a driver’s license from being automatically suspended without due process for non-payment of child support.

According to a study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Brown University, nearly 425,000 drivers had their license suspended in 2018 and 91 percent were non-driving related.

“License suspension creates an impossible Catch-22 and exacerbates income inequality by preventing people from going to work to earn a living to be able to pay down their fines, fees, and surcharges or to support their families,” said Senator Turner. “We know how damaging a license suspension can be, not only on one’s ability to hold a job, but also to take taking children to school, buying groceries, or going to the doctor. Most employers require a driver’s license for employment, even when the job does not require driving. Going forward, we will reserve driver’s license suspensions for serious moving violations that present a danger to the general public.”