OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — State lawmakers are moving ahead with a bill that aims to end the suspension of driver’s licenses for failure to pay traffic tickets — despite opposition from some of the activists who pushed for the change in the first place.
An amendment added just before the measure passed the Senate would allow a person’s license to be suspended if they don’t show up in court.
The ACLU and other original supporters of the bill, SB 5226, say that allows courts to keep suspending licenses.
The sponsor of the bill says he doesn’t like the amendment, but argues the measure would still reinstate the licenses of 64,000 people whose licenses are currently suspended and block future suspensions.