Last month the House voted unanimously for a bill that would repeal the 1989 Massachusetts law requiring automatic license suspensions for drug offenses, regardless of whether or not offenses had a driving component. The Bill was passed by the Senate last year. However, Republican House members added an amendment to the Bill restoring the five year license suspension for drug trafficking charges. In an effort to uphold the purpose behind the Bill, the Senate added an amendment abolishing the drug trafficking exception, effectively repealing the House\u2019s amendment and stalling the Bill.<\/p>\n
The automatic license suspension for drug charges arose under a federal law created during the \u201cWar on Drugs\u201d that called for automatic license suspensions for drug offenders but allowed states to opt out. 34 other states have repealed similar suspensions. As the law stands now anyone who has been convicted of a drug offense faces a six month to five year license suspension and additional fees to reinstate. The license loss is also reported on their Registry of Motor Vehicles record, which can be accessible by employers.<\/p>\n