Secretary Benson celebrates new law to help Michiganders regain driving privileges at Saginaw Road to Restoration event

Thousands of Michigan residents are now eligible to apply for a driver’s license after the repeal of a 3-year penalty

SAGINAW, Mich. – Today, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson visited a Road to Restoration clinic in Saginaw to celebrate the repeal of the state’s 3-year ban on applying for a driver’s license for people cited for driving without a license. The new law (Public Act 42 of 2024) was introduced by Michigan Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit), signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and took effect on April 2, making over 3,000 Michiganders newly eligible to apply for a driver’s license.  
 
“This is what it means to have a government that works for the people and that meets people where they are to make their lives better,” Secretary Benson said. “Michigan is a driving state. Without a license, so many opportunities and even necessities are out of reach. Everyone must follow the law. But no one who made a mistake when they were young or who has already paid their debt to society should be punished forever. Helping people move forward with their lives is the right thing to do. And it’s also in the best interest of Michigan families, communities, and businesses.” 
 
"For decades in Michigan, a destructive and unnecessary barrier ensured that thousands of our fellow citizens lived with no hope of ever obtaining a valid license,” said Hon. Derek Meinecke of the 44th District Court in Oakland County. “Here at the 44th District Court, we have been working since 2016 to help those citizens who have come to our court with traffic misdemeanors, providing them structure, information and encouragement. Through our collective efforts we have been able to restore over 1700 licenses, however we struggled to help those unlicensed individuals who, prior to starting the process had committed two traffic offenses, even minor matters. Michigan punished those individuals with a hard three-year ban on obtaining a license, one of the harshest penalties under the law. No appeal, no restricted license, no option other than to sit and wait. Thanks to the leadership and tremendous efforts of Rep. Donavan McKinney, Rep. Nate Shannon, in partnership with Secretary Jocelyn Benson and her entire staff, we were able to get House Bill 5103 enacted, and that devastating punishment was struck from our laws. Thousands of unlicensed Michigan citizens, possessing the potential to be safe and appropriate drivers but never being allowed to pursue their dream of legal driving status, now have a road to obtaining their license. We all have won today." 

 
Michigan residents who are now eligible to obtain a valid driver’s license can schedule a visit at their nearest Secretary of State office or register for an upcoming Road to Restoration clinic in their community.  
 
The Michigan Department of State (MDOS) launched the Road to Restoration program in 2022. This public-private partnership provides free clinics to help Michigan residents learn their path to restoring their driving privileges. Laws passed in 2021 lifted license suspensions for drivers who failed to pay tickets and court fines or who failed to appear in court for various non-moving violations. MDOS canceled infractions on the driving records of more than 350,000 Michiganders under the law, but many people still need to take additional steps before they can get their driver’s license.  
 
Over the last four years, more than 10,000 Michiganders have attended 70 clinics in about 40 different communities all around the state. Volunteer attorneys and MDOS staff meet one-on-one with clinic attendees to check their current license status, answer questions about the process, and provide services like vision testing and the written driver’s exam on site.  
 
Today’s clinic in Saginaw was hosted by local partners SVRC Marketplace along with United Way of Saginaw County, Detroit Justice Center, Michigan 2-1-1, and the Michigan Department of Attorney General. This was the fourth Road to Restoration clinic hosted in Saginaw since the program’s launch in 2022. 
 
"Reliable transportation is not just a luxury but it is a lifeline to financial stability,” said Audra Davis, president and CEO of United Way of Saginaw County. “Pillars to a strong community include health education, financial stability and basic needs, the Road to Restoration clinics provide support to bridge the gaps in preventing our friends, neighbors and our community members from meeting their basic needs. When we work together to help folks in Saginaw and across Michigan get their driver privileges restored, we are giving people a chance to a better life. No one can do this alone. We believe and strive for collective impact from passing laws that remove these barriers to executing successful Road to Restoration events.” 
 
Road to Restoration clinics are free of charge, but some participants may be required to pay past fines. The clinics do not provide DUI expungement services and license reinstatement is not guaranteed.   
 
The next scheduled clinics will be in St. Ignace on May 6, Newberry on May 7, and Alpena on May 9. Road to Restoration clinics will return to the Saginaw Bay region with clinics scheduled in Gladwin on June 6, Bay City on Aug. 12, and Flint on Oct. 8.
 
Learn more or register for an upcoming clinic at Michigan.gov/R2R or dial 2-1-1.  

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