King County Approach to Driver’s Relicensing May Need to Evolve

LELO has also met the major targets of its contract, but the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention has provided limited oversight. Relicensing assistance provides a benefit that aligns with King County’s Equity and Social Justice goals, but these efforts have done little to reduce the number of people with a suspended driver’s license in King County. With a changing policy landscape, and the potential for a statewide relicensing program in the future, King County’s approach to relicensing may need to evolve.

In response to the outcome of the statewide relicensing work group, the Department of Community and Human Services should partner with the King County District Court to identify strategies on how best to allocate resources to reduce the number of people with a suspended driver’s license in King County.

Over 80,000 King County residents have suspended driver’s licenses, representing a significant percentage of potential drivers. Many drivers have their license suspended for a failure to pay traffic tickets, a consequence that falls disproportionately upon low income individuals and people of color. If people have tickets across jurisdictions, however, efforts to regain one’s license can be challenging due to differing processes and policies across courts. Legacy of Equality, Leadership & Organizing (LELO) is contracted by King County to help individuals to regain their licenses. This audit sought to understand if LELO was meeting its contract terms, and what value LELO provides to both King County and the community at large. This audit also detailed the changing policy landscape around driver’s relicensing, highlighting possible changes that may demand that King County rethink its current approach.