(The Center Square) – Drivers in Pennsylvania who cannot pay the fines necessary to reinstate their licenses will soon have another option: community service.
A bill headed to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk creates a new program that allows qualifying residents with licenses suspended for routine violations to forgo restitution fees in exchange for community service. Some applicants will also be placed on a payment plan.
The bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Pat Stefano and Democratic Sen. Jay Costa, has been four years in the making and cleared its final legislative hurdle earlier this month.
“The ability to drive is essential in rural Pennsylvania,” Stefano said. “This legislation will empower drivers struggling to escape the prison of debt, created by fines and fees from traffic violations, to get back on the road so they can continue to contribute to our local communities.”
According to state data, courts received more than $10.3 million in fees and penalties from driving suspensions from 2019 through 2022, of which the state collected $6.8 million.
It’s unclear what impact the legislation would have on future collections, as there is no estimate of how many drivers would be eligible for the program.
Costa said the program will “make an enormous difference” for low-income drivers.
“By allowing judges to assign community service instead of financial penalties for drivers already struggling to make ends meet, we can ensure workers get to jobs, patients get to doctor’s appointments, kids get to school and families can live their lives,” he said.
The bill awaits the governor’s signature.
