New Minnesota law protects those who can't afford traffic tickets

Photo by: WDAY Radio Staff
Photo by: WDAY Radio Staff

(St. Paul, MN) -- A new law is intended to protect the licenses of people who can't afford to pay tickets, fines, or court fees.  

Under the new law, the state can no longer suspend a person's license solely for failure to pay a traffic ticket, a parking fine, or the court surcharge on a petty misdemeanor conviction. The practice often led those with low incomes to drive on suspended licenses to continue working, only to then be ticketed for that.  

The stacking of fines had reportedly created impossible situations for people struggling financially.