New law helps suspended drivers

COLUMBUS — A new law that went into effect on Wednesday will remove barriers from people trying to drive legally. Beginning April 9, courts in Ohio will no longer be allowed to suspend an operator's license for several new reasons. Courts are no longer being allowed to suspend licenses for unpaid court fees or fines, which is a "great idea," according to attorney Robert Ritzler, a staff member of the Erie County Public Defender's Office. He added that people had two choices: either don't drive or drive with a suspended license. "We need to reduce the barriers to getting back to work so they can pay these fines," he said adding that most people don't pay the fees not because they are shirking their duty but because they simply cannot afford it. The bill was introduced during the 135th Ohio General Assembly that ended in 2024. It was sponsored by representatives Latyna Humphrey and Darnell T. Brewer, both of whom are Democrats. More than half of Ohio's 33 senators and more than 40 of the state's representatives co-sponored the bill including Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, and State Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron. Here is what the law changed: Drug offenses Courts are prevented from suspending licenses for drug abuse offenses. Exceptions to this rule are if the offense occurred under the same circumstances as an OVI offense or if the offender used a vehicle to further the commission of the offense as outlined in current code. Court fines • Suspensions for failing to pay a court fine or fee are abolished. • Also abolished is the option to submit a valid and unexpired license in lieu of bail or another form of security, as a guarantee that the licensee will appear in court. Additionally, the law: • Specifies that a person can enter into a payment plan with the court to avoid arrest for failure to appear or failure to pay fines. • Requires, instead of authorizes, a court to issue a supplemental citation for anyone who fails to appear in court. It delays issuance of a summons or warrant for failure to appear until 30 days after the supplemental citation is issued. • Authorizes the supplemental citation to be sent through electronic means. • Requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to automatically remove any suspensions of operator licenses or motor vehicle registrations imposed for failure to pay a court fine or fee • Requires courts to lift any license suspensions imposed for failure to pay a court fine or fee. • Prohibits the Registrar from charging any reinstatement fees for licenses associated with these suspensions. Child support The law: • Enables courts to grant driving privileges to those with licenses suspended for being in default of child support orders. Note: Previously, courts were averse to granting privileges because it was not the court that suspended the license, but the child support enforcement arm of the Department of Job and Family Services. • Authorizes drivers who are in child support default to present evidence that a suspended license would effectively prevent them from paying current support or arrearages. • Delays enforcement of child support default suspensions until 30 days after the child support enforcement agency sends notice to the offender. Truancy The law: • Removes suspension as a penalty for a student who is habitually truant, or unexcused absence from school. • Authorizes students who have had this type of suspension to apply to have the suspension removed. Insurance responsibility The law: • Reduces lookback time frame for enhancing penalties for multiple violations of Ohio's financial responsibility law from five years to one year. This means courts can only look for additional violations in the previous 12 months instead of the previous 60 months. • Eliminated the suspension of motor vehicle registration rights or impoundment of a registration or plates as penalties for driving without insurance. • Increased grace period of when the Registrar can impose a suspension for driving without insurance from 15 days to 45 days beginning when the offender is notified. • Reduces the time an offender must present proof of insurance after an offense (also known as an SR-22) from three or five years down to one year. Random verification The law: • Requires the Registrar to remove any remaining suspensions associated with the Financial Responsibility Random Verification Program that was repealed in 2021. Through this program the motor vehicle bureau would mail requests for insurance verification to random license holders in Ohio. Those who failed to respond or provide proof had their licenses suspended. • Prohibits the Registrar from charging reinstatement fees for suspensions associated with the program.