Reinstatement amnesty bill makes sense

The revelation that Ohio ranks No. 2 among the 50 states in the percentage of its drivers whose licenses have been suspended or revoked should galvanize state lawmakers to accelerate action on two bipartisan reform measures co-sponsored by Greater Clevelanders. The state rankings come from the auto insurance comparison shopping website Insurify.

... When poorer drivers lose their licenses, they often lose their jobs and then can’t work their way out the bind. People of means simply pay the reinstatement fee and move on — or they don’t get their licenses suspended in the first place because they can pay their original fines. And in Ohio, multiple license suspensions can create fast-escalating fees . ...

Substitute House Bill 336, sponsored by state Reps. John Barnes Jr., a Democrat from Warrensville Heights, and Dave Greenspan, Republican of Westlake, would create a six-month amnesty period to get licenses reinstated, either for no fee or greatly discounted fees, depending on income and other eligibility requirements. It’s a sensible bipartisan measure that sailed through the House last December with only one “no” vote and unanimously passed out of a Senate committee last month with minor amendments. Greenspan says the Senate may pass it later this month. Ohio lawmakers should finish work on the bill and send it to Gov. John Kasich’s desk before they take their summer recess . ...