Joelle Fredman
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to make it easier for former inmates to re-enter society.

Bowser discussed her plans Wednesday to ask the D.C. Council to repeal a law that revokes or suspends the driver’s licenses of people convicted of drug offenses, even when a motor vehicle was not involved.

D.C. has signed the law each year in order not to lose federal highway funding.

Bowser, however, wants the council to rethink its priorities.

“People who have paid their debt to society deserve a second chance, and now we have to make sure our policies support that,” Bowser said.

Residents need driver’s licenses in order to get jobs, either to serve an ID, allow them to drive to their job, or even for the job itself.

“Every year more than 600,000 Americans return to their communities with the hope of making a change and fulfilling their dreams.,” Bowser said. “Some DC residents want to pursue their goal of becoming professional truck drivers.”

Bowser said allowing former inmates to obtain driver’s licenses will reduce recidivism rates by giving these residents the ability to get jobs that involve driving, and a way to get to and from work, doctor’s appointments and other places.

“Study after study has shown that when a person has access to basic needs like a job and transportation and a family-community support system and adequate housing- they are less likely to re-offend,” Bowser said.

Bowser said that it is a human right to be able to earn a good salary and support yourself and your family. And revoking license’s is infringing on those rights.

“If we are really serious about giving everybody an equal shot at success, we need to make it easier, and not harder for everybody to have access to a good paying job,” Bowser said.

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