HARRISBURG – The Senate passed a bill sponsored by Sens. Pat Stefano (R-32) and Jay Costa (D-43) that would allow magisterial district judges to give Pennsylvania drivers who are unable to pay the fees and fines of their suspended license the option to pursue community service as a payment alternative.
It would only apply to drivers whose suspension resulted from routine violations.
“In rural communities, residents are incredibly dependent on their vehicles to get anywhere they need to go: work, the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, school and even the hospital. Living in these areas without the ability to drive is beyond inconvenient. It’s debilitating,” Stefano said. “Drivers burdened with debt from traffic offenses deserve a solution to retain their license so that they can get back on the road and continue to contribute to our communities.”
Senate Bill 1118 would also allow those who currently have suspended licenses – due to violations of driving without a license, failure to appear in court or failure to pay fines – to be provided with the option of community service if a judge sees fit. The community service payment alternative could additionally apply to suspensions related to driving with a suspended license.
“The importance of reducing financial burdens on low-income drivers cannot be overstated, particularly when license suspensions related to an inability to pay traffic violations keep people from gainful employment, the pursuit of educational opportunities, and access to healthcare for themselves and their families. Particularly for young people who get caught in a cycle of indefinite license suspension, the results can be debilitating to their future prospects in school and the workforce,” Costa said. “Our bill is a win for drivers, employers and the state’s economic viability moving forward.”
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Amanda Cuteri, (Stefano’s office), 717-787-7175
Savannah Thorpe, (Costa’s office), 717-787-7683