House Bill 5414, a bill amending the Michigan Driver Responsibility Act, was ordered for enrollment and sent to the governor last night. Following the bill’s final passage, state Representative Alberta Tinsley-Talabi (D-Detroit) announced her extreme happiness. Last month, in connection to HB 5414, Tinsley-Talabi’s HB 5501 passed through the state House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Together the bills will bring an end to the controversial fees associated with the Driver Responsibility Act.
“The driver responsibility fees put a heavy burden on many Michigan drivers who are already hurting under increased taxes,” Tinsley-Talabi said. “My office has heard from countless people regarding this issue. District court judges, police officers and district residents reached out to tell us these fees were unfair, unnecessary and harmful. As a legislator, it is always my goal to help the people I represent, and I believe the elimination of these fees will be a great help.”
Beginning Oct. 1, 2017, HB 5501 will amend Section 4 of the Enhanced Driver License and Enhanced Official State Personal Identification Card Act to strike “the assessment of a driver responsibility fee” from the list of licensing sanctions a holder of an enhanced driver license or state identification is subject to.
“I could not be more pleased that this Legislature has finally voted to remove the harmful and costly Driver Responsibility Fees from our law books,” said Tinsley-Talabi. “Eliminating these fees has been a goal of mine throughout my time in the House, and I am proud to see that this will finally be a reality.”