In 2018 and 2019, Michigan issued approximately 360,000 driver’s license suspensions each year because drivers failed to appear in court or pay legal fines and fees.1 This number has not reduced substantially over the last decade: in 2010, nearly 400,000 licenses were suspended for failure to appear or nonpayment—80% of all license suspensions that year—and only 5% of all suspensions were related to dangerous driving.2 Driver’s licenses are critical to supporting basic needs and sustaining employment. By strictly penalizing drivers for reasons unrelated to safe driving or stemming from unpaid traffic tickets, Michigan law shuts out Michiganders from financial stability and security, criminalizing poverty instead.
House Bill 5846,3 part of a package of bills that would implement recommendations from the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration,4 would eliminate driver’s license suspensions that are unrelated to dangerous driving and prevent such suspensions from taking place in the future. Under this change, the failure to pay fines and fees or the failure to appear in court would only result in license suspension if the underlying charge includes operating while intoxicated, reckless driving or any driving violation that causes injury, death or serious impairment to another person.
This bill and the associated package will break an ineffective and harmful cycle that often originates from failure to appear in court and unpaid fines and fees related to traffic tickets in particular, which is explored further here. The current system disproportionately affects Black Michiganders and provides few outlets for residents with lower incomes who can neither pay to escape it nor easily drive to a job that would help them do so.
Getting a Ticket and Subsequent License Suspension
There are dozens of civil infractions that could result in a ticket: speed violations, improper turning and signaling, and failing to stop, among others. A citation comes with a base charge, additional fines, court costs plus a $40 Justice System Assessment (which accompanies civil infractions and is almost always mandatory).5 Nonpayment will result in a misdemeanor, carrying up to a $100 fine.6
Racial profiling contributes to Black drivers in Michigan being stopped more frequently than drivers of other races, increasing the likelihood they enter into this web of fines and fees, with license 
suspension as a result if not paid. In addition to accounts from Black drivers, available data from across Michigan demonstrate that over the past few years, the percent of Black drivers in Michigan being stopped has increased from 17.4% in 2017 to 20.5% in 2019.7 Across three years of data, Black drivers were stopped at a disproportionately high rate when compared to Michigan’s overall Black population, according to Michigan State Police data.8 Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that traffic stops can be used as a pretext to investigate other suspected crimes, subject to an officer’s discretion,9 which may be influenced by racial bias—even implicitly—particularly in areas that are historically White, such as the suburbs outside Detroit.
The ticket and additional costs add up quickly and if a driver cannot pay, Michigan’s consequences are swift and serious: if a driver does not appear in court or comply by paying all fines and fees, license suspension is mandatory, indefinite and without regard for ability to pay.10 Michigan is one of five states with such strict suspension laws, with Delaware, Florida, Maine and Virginia following suit.11 At this point, to reinstate the license, one must pay off all that is owed, an additional $45 clearance fee to the court per each unpaid ticket plus a $125 license reinstatement fee to the Secretary of State.12
Difficulty Paying and Reinstating a Driver’s License
Drivers do not anticipate paying for a traffic ticket and not all drivers have the discretionary income to do so quickly. For the over 1.3 million Michiganders living in poverty (14% of residents),13 it is even harder to pay for unexpected costs, like traffic tickets not related to dangerous driving and the associated fines and fees.
Longstanding racism and discrimination in our workforces have excluded many Black workers from higher-paying jobs and greater income, which can help provide discretionary income for unexpected expenses like traffic tickets. Systemic exclusion is reflected to this day in Black families in Michigan having a lower median income than families in other racial groups—a trend that has continued to persist over the last 10 years.14 When we examine Michigan’s overall poverty rate, we find a disproportionate number of Black residents live in poverty in Michigan (27.4%), compared with 11.4% of White residents, 19.8% of Hispanic or Latinx residents and 13.1% of Asian residents.15
Work obligations and basic needs like groceries and child care are ever-present, and most Michiganders rely on driving to get to where they need to go. In fact, 82% of Michiganders drive to work. For comparison, only 1% of all residents regularly use public transportation to commute.16 An estimated 3 out of 4 drivers who have their license suspended will continue to drive.17 In fact, driving without a valid license (which includes a suspended license) is the third-most common reason for jail admission in Michigan.18 This charge carries up to a $500 fee for the first offense (and up to $1,000 for subsequent offenses),19 making it even harder for someone to pay off what they owe and reinstate their license.
The racial disparities are clear: jail admission for driving without a valid license in Michigan happens to more Black drivers than White drivers, exemplifying the way in which Black drivers are disadvantaged in this system.
For Black residents with lower incomes who are driving with a suspended license, the reality that racial discrimination increases the likelihood of being stopped and cited with a traffic violation compounds with the ongoing need to drive to work to earn income, which can help pay down the fines, fees and debt associated with a suspended license. Based on the inequities in traffic stops by race, Black Michiganders who drive with a suspended license are also more likely to be caught doing so and face more fines and arrest.
HB 5846 will help align Michigan’s license suspension laws with what should be their intended purpose: keeping the roads safer as opposed to punishing drivers who cannot pay off fees and fines. Driver’s license suspension reform will not address the racial disparities we see in Michigan’s traffic stops, but it will allow hundreds of thousands of drivers to stay on the roads and continue to work by halting a cycle that stems from unpaid tickets and the debt that can quickly accrue.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
