Mark Walker

mwalker@argusleader.com

Owe the state money? It could cost you your South Dakota driver's license.

The Department of Public Safety has suspended the licenses of about 1,500 drivers who owe the state more than $1,000 in unpaid fees or fines.

The suspensions are the result of a 2015 law that created a centralized state debt collection office with authority to deny hunting, fishing, vehicle and other licences to residents who owe money to the state or local governments. Critics have questioned whether such moves will help recover debt or just worsen poverty.

The center started denying hunting and fishing licenses in September and began suspending suspending driver's licenses and vehicle registrations in November. It only takes a $50 debt to have hunting and fishing privileges revoked, while driving privileges are taken away at $1,000 debt.

“We looked at what other states are doing and that (amount) is what we came up with,” said Scott Bollinger, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Administration.

Thousands face loss of hunting, fishing privileges

Lawmakers expected the center to help state and local governments collect millions of dollars in unpaid court-appointed attorney fees, fines and other outstanding debt.

Tony Mangan, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety, said drivers are given 10 days to make payments before the suspension takes effect.

The driver's licensing office receives a file from the center nightly that tells if a person has cleared their debt or made a payment agreement. If this happens a person is eligible to reapply for their license, but there are still financial hurdles to overcome once the debt is cleared.

"The driver can then reapply at a South Dakota driver exam station and pay a $50 reinstatement fee plus an application fee to have the license reinstated," Mangan said.

Critics of the proposal thought the approach would do more harm than good.

Minnehaha County Commissioner Jeff Barth was among those against the debt collection center. He was vocal about the impact it would have on those already struggling when Minnehaha County was asked if they wanted to be part of the center.

“We take away their ability to drive, their ability to go to work and their ability to pay bills,” Barth said. “Then we expect them to pay one.”