'Road to Restoration' clinics offer help getting driver's licenses reinstated in Michigan

For Debra Hornbuckle, an at-home health care provider, driving is part of the job. But her driver's license has been suspended for six years due to unpaid fines.

The Motor City isn't known for efficient public transportation. So Hornbuckle, 71, of Detroit, figured she had three options: don't work, which really isn't an option; find a different job that would likely pay less, or drive to work with a suspended license.

Hornbuckle chose option three. She's filled with fear every time she sits in the driver's seat and turns the ignition.

"You know you're going to get pulled over sooner or later," she said.

That's why she attended a free "Road to Restoration" clinic Wednesday to get answers on reinstating her license. All her fines are paid now, she said.

"I hope I get my license back soon, I've got a good feeling it's going to be today," Hornbuckle said, her fingers crossed.

The clinic began after Michigan's Clean Slate to Drive laws were enacted in 2021, which removed sanctions from the driving records of over 150,000 Michiganders.

The clinic travels across the state and connects residents with restricted and suspended licenses to the Michigan Department of State and volunteer attorneys to go over the next steps toward reinstating their driving privileges.

So far, the Road to Restoration clinic has served over 6,000 people. The partnership includes the Michigan Department of State, the Michigan Department of Attorney General, the Detroit Justice Center, DTE Energy, Miller Canfield, United Ways, and 211 Michigan.

And the partnership includes local organizations that have built trust in the communities the clinic travels to. Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit hosted Wednesday's clinic.

Its president and CEO, Dan Varner, said he felt moved and inspired.

"There's an opportunity to do more, and there's obviously a huge demand. So we can do more of these clinics, we can help more people achieve there dreams," Varner said.

"But I also feel a little frustrated, quite honestly, because we need more help from our community in order to do more. People are still facing fines that they aren't able to pay, and they want to get back to work. It benefits everybody."

Barrier to driving 'criminalizes poverty'

The Road to Restoration clinic served nearly 1,000 people at Goodwill Industries in Detroit on Wednesday.

As Hornbuckle put it, "nowadays, you need a license for everything," and the clinic's packed room was a visual reminder of that.

Before the Clean Slate to Drive laws were enacted, Attorney General Dana Nessel said she saw during her time as an assistant prosecutor in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office how a lack of driving privileges perpetuates a cycle of poverty.

Detroiters were particularly impacted, Nessel told the Free Press. Many would pick up charges and citations for driving without insurance or driving with a suspended license. For many who couldn't afford to pay their fines and tickets, the fees kept piling on, and it would take even longer to have a license reinstated.

"It was almost impossible to get their driver's licenses back, especially financially," Nessel said. "In so many instances, it really criminalized being poor in the state of Michigan."

People drive out of necessity, Nessel said, and without driving privileges, economic mobility is critically hindered.

JoAnn Chávez, chief legal officer at DTE Energy, identified with the Detroiters who made it out to the clinic on Wednesday. She said she grew up in a low-income household in southwest Detroit.

"I know most of these people are lower income. For me, personally, this is my community," Chávez said, looking into the packed room at Goodwill Industries.

"The most critical thing that all of our communities need, especially the underserved ones, is transportation."

Chávez said the main barrier to employment at DTE is a lack of a driver's license. And she emphasized that this barrier impacts not just the individual, but often a whole family.

Thats why, for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, sending a letter to eligible Michiganders informing them of the new Clean Slate to Drive laws is not enough.

The intention of the laws needs to reach the people it benefits, she said.

“We do that by meeting people where they are," Benson said.

What to know about Road to Restoration clinics

Michigan residents can sign up for a free Road to Restoration clinic at Michigan.gov/RoadToRestoration or by calling 211. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Walk-in registration is an option, but space is limited.

Automatic license reinstatement is not guaranteed.

Any Michigan resident with a restricted or suspended driver’s license can sign up for the clinic to learn more about restoring their driving privileges, including those with revoked licenses because of multiple alcohol or substance-related driving offenses or felony offenses.

However, the clinics do not offer expungement of criminal records.

Make sure to bring your ID or driver's license or another form of government-issued ID. If possible, residents are asked to bring a paper or electronic copy of their driving record. Instructions for getting a copy of a driving record can be found at Michigan.gov/RoadToRestoration.

Some residents might be eligible to have their license reinstated at a Road to Restoration clinic, although it's not guaranteed. Residents may also bring the following documents to apply for a temporary driving permit:

• Proof of legal presence, which includes: a birth certificate, passport, Green Card, work authorization card, other immigration documents.

• Proof of Social Security number: a card, pay stub, W2, or another official document.

• Proof of identity: a state ID card, school records, marriage or divorce decree, or a military ID.

• Two documents proving Michigan residency: utility or phone bills, bank statement, correspondence from a government agency, lease agreement or mortgage, or a vehicle title.

More information can be found at Michigan.gov/RoadToRestoration.

Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442, asahouri@freepress.com or on Twitter @andreamsahouri.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Help getting driver's licenses reinstated offered in Michigan clinics