Latest news with #OhioBureauofMotorVehicles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio waives $8.4 million in fees for drivers. Find out why
Ohio reinstated licenses for thousands of drivers and waived $8.38 million in fees under a new law. Legislators adopted House Bill 29 in 2024 to make it harder to lose your driver's license for non-driving issues, such as unpaid parking tickets. The law took effect in April 2025. So far, 170,500 drivers have had suspensions and/or vehicle registration blocks removed and nearly 7,100 got their licenses reinstated. Another 24,400 drivers had suspensions removed and may be eligible to take a driving test to restore their licenses. Under previous law, Ohio drivers could lose their licenses for more than 30 reasons, many of which are not related to dangerous driving. Under the new law, license suspensions are largely limited to convictions that are related to dangerous driving. "We're trying to reduce the connection between not being able to pay a fine and being allowed to drive, which is pretty essential in this state," said Zack Eckles of the Ohio Poverty Law Center, which lobbied for the new law. Reinstatement fees can ramp up quickly, starting at $15 and maxing out at $650. Roughly 60% of license suspensions each year are for debt-related reasons. In Ohio, roughly three in four workers drive to work and 30% of jobs require a driver's license, according to a report from the Ohio Poverty Law Center issued in May 2023. Driving is so essential that most people with suspended licenses continue to drive anyway. People are automatically notified by mail if they're eligible to have their suspension removed. Drivers can check their driving record and update their current address with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to expedite the notification process if they are eligible to have their license reinstated. State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@ and @lbischoff on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: New Ohio law reinstates drivers and forgives millions in fees
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
It's Election Day. Here's what's on the ballot
It's Election Day in Ohio. Here's what to know about voting and the races on the ballot. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. To look up your voter registration or check your voting location, visit Voters need to bring a photo ID to the polls. The ID can't be expired but if the address on your ID doesn't match your current address, you can still use it to vote. Here are the acceptable forms of photo ID: An Ohio driver's license An Ohio ID card or interim ID form from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles A U.S. passport or passport card A U.S. military, Ohio National Guard or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID card If voters approve Issue 2, Ohio would be allowed to issue up to $2.5 billion in general obligation bonds or $250 million annually over 10 years for infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, water treatment and waste disposal. The state's bonds for these projects are currently capped at $200 million annually. For more details, see the coverage from Statehouse reporter Jessie Balmert. Cincinnatians will choose between three candidates in the mayoral primary: incumbent Democratic Mayor Aftab Pureval and two Republican challengers: Cory Bowman and Brian Frank. To see where each candidate stands on the pertinent issues, check out the stories from City Hall reporter Scott Wartman. Voters in the Princeton City School District will decide on a proposed emergency operations levy aimed at generating $12.8 million annually over 10 years. The district hopes the money can reverse cuts made to staff, busing and field trips. If the levy passes, homeowners would pay $231 per $100,000 of value for 10 years. For more details, see coverage from education reporter Bebe Hodges. See what's on your ballot in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties. Regional politics reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@ @ee_glynn on X or @eringlynn on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Happy Election Day, Cincinnati. Here's what to know
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
As REAL ID enforcement deadline approaches, BMV sees increase in business
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As federal enforcement of REAL IDs gets closer, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) offices have been busier. Federal enforcement begins on Wednesday, May 7, and there were multiple times on when the Kenny Road BMV location in Columbus seemed busy inside and people were choosing to wait outside. 'I didn't even want to go inside,' customer Aaron Nesbitt said. 'I am not too claustrophobic but there's nowhere for me to stand in there.' Nesbitt used the Get In Line online feature which helped him out; he was there to get his REAL ID. Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 with the intention of improving national security. Enforcement was delayed several times, but starting Wednesday, licenses will need to be REAL ID compliant to use them for boarding a flight. The compliant REAL ID have a star in the top right corner. 'It's my own doing, kicking myself in the butt because I thought I had it, I was 99.95% sure I had it, but come to find out I looked at it last Friday and didn't have that little star,' Nesbitt said. He is flying to visit family in a few weeks, which is why he decided to submit what he needed for a REAL ID on Monday. Ohio BMV Registrar Charlie Norman said there's no reason to rush in for a REAL ID if you are not flying soon. 'I would really tell people, unless you have immediate travel plans, I would not come in right now,' Normal said. 'We're seeing probably about a 30% increase in traffic at our offices, so if you're not immediately traveling, this is something you can wait to get, wait until next week, or the week after or even wait until your regular renewal date if you can.' For BMV business which doesn't require coming into the office, he encouraged people to get it done online. He said Ohio is right around the national average with 57% of the state's 9.5 million licenses and IDs being REAL ID compliant. He emphasized that people can still get their REAL IDs after May 7; that date is just when enforcement begins. More information about what's needed to get a REAL ID or what you can use to fly if you do not have one can be found here. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokesperson shared the following statement with NBC4 about what people should do if they are waiting for their REAL ID to arrive and what federal properties will require them: Temporary paper IDs alone are not accepted at the checkpoint. Passengers who are waiting for their REAL ID to arrive should check the full list of acceptable IDs (here) to see if they have another form of acceptable ID, such as a passport. If they do not, and their non-compliant legacy ID was returned to them, they should bring it to the checkpoint. These passengers may face additional screening. After May 7, 2025, visitors seeking access to federal facilities that require proof of ID to enter using their state-issued driver's licenses or identification cards must present a REAL ID-compliant ID. Facilities choosing to implement the REAL ID deadline through a phased approach will provide additional information about the approach on their website. When planning a visit to a federal facility or military base, visitors should contact the facility to determine what identification requirements are and what other forms of ID will be accepted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Checking your bags? TSA bans item before Real ID deadline. Here's what's no longer allowed
The TSA has banned another travel item ahead of the May 7 Real ID deadline. Travelers using portable chargers or power banks should double check their batteries for lithium, which is now prohibited in checked luggage. Here's what to know before your next flight. Portable chargers and power banks containing a lithium-ion battery can only be packed in carry-on bags and kept inside the aircraft cabin, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's latest guidance. Lithium batteries can pose a fire hazard and are subject to overheating and creating sparks, especially if damaged. The rule applies to electronics and external battery chargers that contain a lithium-ion battery, which cannot be stored inside checked bags. This includes: Power banks Cell phone battery charging cases Rechargeable and non-rechargeable lithium batteries Cell phone batteries Laptop batteries External batteries Portable rechargers To check which items are allowed or banned on board, check the TSA's online search function. There's only one week left before TSA begins enforcing Real IDs and alternatives on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Travelers must either upgrade to a Real ID or provide TSA-approved alternative forms of identification. The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles processes REAL IDs and is holding extended hours on Saturday, May 3. Ohioans can visit any BMV location in the state to present documents in person and call (844) 644-6268 with questions. Once processed, you'll receive a new card delivered in the mail within 10 business days. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Checking your bags? TSA bans everyday item ahead of Real ID deadline
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Ohio law eliminates some debt-related driver's license suspensions
Apr. 16—A new law now in effect eliminates some debt-related driver's license suspensions to make it easier for Ohioans to get back on the road legally. Courts have until May 9 to notify the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles whether a suspension should be lifted due to House Bill 29, which Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law in January. It removes license suspensions for failure to pay a court fine or fee, without reinstatement fees. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, about one million drivers (just over 10%) have a suspended driver's license. Of those, about 60% are for reasons other than dangerous driving, "House Bill 29 is smart, practical policy that will enable Ohioans to reinstate their licenses, drive to work, take their children to school and participate more fully in their communities," said Patrick Higgins, policy counsel for the ACLU of Ohio. "A person's ability to pay should not determine whether they are free to drive." Clerk of Courts Marty Gehres of Dayton Municipal Court called the bill a "great first start" but cautioned: "What this bill doesn't do is release people of their obligation of their fine and court costs." The BMV was tasked with sending tens of thousands of suspensions to court jurisdictions across the state. Gehres and Rob Scott, clerk of courts for Kettering Municipal Court, both said their courts do not do forfeiture suspensions for people with unpaid fines and fees. Instead, they offer payment plans and have had amnesty programs and driver's license clinics to help people get back on the road legally. "We're very flexible working with people, trying to work with them making them valid," Scott said. The suspensions their offices reviewed were older, from cases in the 1990s and 2000s, they said. "We had roughly about 500 license forfeitures for us to check," Gehres said. Kettering court staff had a little over 200 to check on the list, Scott said. Both clerks said they already have forwarded the information to the BMV. Individuals will be notified by mail if the BMV removed a failure-to-pay suspension. If a person is eligible to reinstate their license, the letter will include information on what steps to take, said Lindsey Bohrer, assistant director of communications for the Ohio Department of Public Safety and BMV spokeswoman. Those with questions about whether a suspension was lifted should contact the court where it was ordered. People can view their reinstatement requirements online at any time, but until courts communicate which suspensions will be removed, the BMV will not be able to provide eligibility information in accordance with HB 29, Bohrer said. Even if a debt-related suspension is lifted, there may be other roadblocks to getting reinstated. "It's not a solution to every issue people are experiencing with license suspensions in Ohio," Gehres said. For example, if someone whose license was suspended for a debt-related reason was pulled over while driving to work, to the doctor's office or taking children to school, the resulting citation for driving on a suspended license would still stand under the new law. "We just want to do everything we can here to break that cycle," Scott said. The new law says those whose licenses were suspended for not paying child support can file a motion with the court for limited driving privileges. For the last three years, Montgomery County suspended more residents' licenses for failing to pay child support than any other county in Ohio. The Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services last year issued 1,961 of the state's 15,841 license suspensions for child support defaults, according to Ohio JFS data obtained by the Dayton Daily News. That's over 12% of the state's suspensions from a county that makes up 4.5% of the state's population. In Ohio, county JFS agencies are responsible for collecting child support payments. Those in default on their payments are able to present evidence that a suspension effectively prevents them from getting current. This new law, however, doesn't require JFS departments to act on that information. Reba Chenoweth, public information officer for Montgomery County Human Services, previously told the Dayton Daily News that driver's license suspension is a discretionary remedy used as leverage to encourage compliance with a child support order for a parent who is not paying at least 50% of their support. Parents have multiple options, such as a short-term payment plan, making a payment of at least 50% of what was owed over the last three months or reporting new employment. HB 29 also eliminates driver's license suspensions for some drug-abuse offenses and school truancy, and reduces the look-back period from five years to one year for those caught driving without insurance.
