As of January 2018, approximately 1.4 million Texans had suspended licenses for not paying surcharges as part of the Driver’s Responsibility Program. This program, which was created in 2003, authorizes the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to assess surcharges to an individual based on certain traffic offenses including Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), driving without insurance, or driving without a license. These charges can range from $100 for a few traffic infractions to $2000 for driving while intoxicated. If a driver is unable to pay the fee within 105 days, their drivers license is suspended. Critics of this program believe this program leaves low-income drivers with costly bills, without their drivers licenses and in a cycle of debt.

To address these concerns, the Legislature passed House Bill 2048 which will eliminate this program and eliminate the surcharges assessed to drivers. Drivers licenses suspended only because of a failure to pay a DRP surcharge will be reinstated. Individuals who drive while intoxicated after the program is eliminated, will face additional fines up to $6000.

Read the bill in its entirety here.

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