News & Impact Stories

Massachusetts Voters Overwhelmingly Support Passage of the Road to Opportunity Act    

January 21, 2026 — Press Release

Polling Finds Broad, Bipartisan Support for Ending Debt-Based Driving Restrictions

BOSTON – A new statewide survey of more than 1,000 Massachusetts voters conducted by Beacon Research finds strong support for passage of the Road to Opportunity Act, with 78% backing the legislation and just 16% opposed. High support for the legislation is bipartisan – with virtually equal support from Democrats and Republicans – and spans every region of the Commonwealth and major demographic groups. 

The Road to Opportunity Act would end the Massachusetts practice of taking away driver’s licenses for reasons that have nothing to do with unsafe driving, such as unpaid parking tickets and toll fees or failure to update a mailing address.

“At a time when Massachusetts families are grappling with some of the highest costs of living in the nation, it makes zero sense to take away someone’s driver’s license for reasons that have nothing to do with public safety. The Road to Opportunity Act is about common sense and basic fairness, ending a punitive, counterproductive practice that traps people in debt and makes it harder for them to get to work, care for their families, and contribute to their communities,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D – Cape and Islands). “This polling confirms what we’ve heard from residents across the Commonwealth: people want a system that prioritizes safety on our roads, not one that punishes poverty.”

With residents battling some of the highest costs of living in the country and holding record personal debt, the practice of taking away driver’s licenses for non-safety related debts and related issues creates barriers for low-income families to make ends meet. The poll shows that voters overwhelmingly want those barriers removed.

The Road to Opportunity Act would still allow for license suspensions for drunk or dangerous driving violations. 

“The findings validate what residents across the Commonwealth already understand, and why I filed the Road to Opportunity bill as lead sponsor,” said Rep. Brandy Fluker-Reid (D – Boston). “Debt-based license suspensions punish people for their financial circumstances, not their driving behavior. Access to a driver’s license is critical for work, caregiving, and daily life. This bill keeps opportunity within reach for all, ensuring that no one in Massachusetts is denied based on economic circumstances.”

By a 2-to-1 margin, voters agree it is unfair for the state to take away someone’s driver’s license due to debts from things like unpaid parking tickets or E-ZPass fees. They overwhelmingly recognize that taking away a license makes it harder for a person to get to work and earn the money they would need to pay outstanding debt. Nearly all voters regard having a driver’s license as “extremely” or “very” important to residents’ ability to go about everyday life. 

In addition to broad overall support for ending debt-based driving restrictions, voters strongly back every other major component of the legislation. 

Specifically, more than 90% support changing the law to allow drivers to pay larger debts on a payment plan. Over three-quarters also support the bill’s provisions requiring the RMV to send text and email notifications about unpaid debts, and allowing these debts to be waived or reduced if the driver proves they are unable to afford them, an option which does not currently exist.

“As Attorney General, it is my mission to advance economic opportunity and consumer justice for all,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “By eliminating the practice of using driver’s license suspensions as a penalty for unpaid debts, the Road to Opportunity Act will remove barriers to accessing basic necessities and enable more Massachusetts residents to get to work, especially in rural and low-income communities. Thank you to Representative Fluker-Reid and Senator Cyr for championing this legislation.”

In late 2025, the Senate version of the bill cleared the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation with a unanimous vote in favor of advancing the legislation. The bill is formally called An Act to increase opportunity by ending debt-based driving restrictions.

Road to Opportunity Act Coalition Quotes

“Economic justice is a critical pillar of building a democracy that works for everyone,” said Gavi Wolfe, legislative director at the ACLU of Massachusetts. “This bill would expand opportunity and equity without in any way compromising the safety of our roads.”

“The latest polling makes clear that Massachusetts voters reject taking away someone’s driver’s license because they can’t pay a debt,” said Caroline Cohn, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “In the midst of an affordability crisis, this outdated practice is unreasonable, unnecessary, and hurts working families.”

“Losing a driver’s license due to debt destabilizes a household,” said Kristen Bor-Zale, staff attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services. “Massachusetts voters know that reliable transportation is necessary for maintaining employment, accessing healthcare, and providing care for family members.”

“Taking away a driver’s license because a person can’t afford fines or fees is an unfair and regressive policy, and this poll shows Massachusetts voters agree,” said Dianna Williams, Legislative Policy Counsel at the Committee for Public Counsel Services. “As public defenders, every day we see the results of license loss: It undermines stability, threatens employment, and jeopardizes people’s ability to resolve financial obligations without becoming entangled in the criminal legal system.”

“Through the Free to Drive campaign, twenty-six states have moved to end license suspensions for unpaid — and often unpayable — debt,” said Sarah Couture, regional director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center. “Massachusetts voters have made it clear: they want their state to be next. It’s time to pass the Road to Opportunity Act.”

Related Resources

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The Road to Opportunity Act Coalition Steering Committee is comprised of the ACLU of Massachusetts, the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the Fines and Fees Justice Center, Greater Boston Legal Services, the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, LivableStreets Alliance, the National Consumer Law Center, and the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice. 

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