More than 400,000 Ohioans see driver's license suspensions lifted under new law

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More than 400,000 Ohioans have seen their driver's license suspensions lifted in just one month since a new law was implemented, according to Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati).
Ingram said as of Tuesday, 429,501 Ohioans have had total suspensions or blocks removed, and more than $8.3 million in reinstatement fees have been forgiven; 201,024 eligible drivers have been sent notifications.
Chillicothe paper mill will close in August after stating it would remain open
'These aren't just numbers,' Ingram said. 'These are lives of workers, parents, and students who now have one less barrier standing in their way.'
The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) and became law on April 9. It fully went into effect at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles on May 9. Watch previous coverage in the player above.
The law ends the practice of suspending driver's licenses for failure to pay court fines or fees, along with some other minor offenses. The law does not apply to any 'drug abuse offense' in which a vehicle was used 'to further the commission of the offense.'
The law also allows those who have had their license suspended for being in default on child support payments to prove that a suspended license prevents them from making the payments, and they could be granted 'limited driving privileges.'
As Fort Rapids sale looms, Columbus church eyes plan to redevelop waterpark
A 2022 report from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland found that 60% of driver's licenses suspended in Ohio were suspended due to reasons not related to driving.
Drivers are encouraged to make sure their information is current with the BMV so that if they're eligible for reinstatement, they can be notified.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio applauded the law, which makes Ohio the 25th state to shift away from debt-related penalties.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

5 days ago

• Yahoo

Five-story apartment building nears construction in Franklinton

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A vacant Columbus lot down the street from the Gravity development in Franklinton may soon be home to a new five-story apartment building. Grateful Development Partners, a central Ohio-based development company, is advancing plans to build a mixed-use residential building at 550 W. Broad St. in Franklinton. Once completed, the complex will house 64 apartments on the top four floors, and a ground floor retail alongside a 42-space parking garage. How a small town was revamped into 'Ohio's most loveable downtown' 'We are committed to addressing the affordable housing crisis by creating both accessible and desirable projects,' Grateful states on its site. 'We specialize in developing mixed-use properties that blend residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in a way that enhances the quality of life for our neighborhoods.' Chris Gump, partner at Grateful, confirmed to NBC4 the company is hoping to begin construction by end of the summer. The development company's project was reviewed one last time by the East Franklinton Review Board on May 28, which approved the landscaping and lighting proposed for the complex. The five-story building was first presented in May last year to the review board, who applauded the proposal and said it 'enhances the area's urban character.' Grateful returned to the review board in July and then again in August for the building's approval. More than 400,000 Ohioans see driver's license suspensions lifted under new law Before construction can begin on the new structure, crews will need to demolish a one-story building that has long sat vacant on the property. The site is just a block away from Gravity, a sprawling residential complex that recently sold several buildings part of its second phase for a combined $78 million. Since then, these former Gravity properties have been rebranded to 'Horizon West' and are now under the management of a Columbus-based investment firm named Coastal Ridge Real Estate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo

13-06-2025

• Yahoo

Columbus social media influencer pleads guilty to $20 million Ponzi scheme

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Columbus social media finance influencer pleaded guilty Friday to orchestrating a $20 million Ponzi scheme, according to federal prosecutors. Prosecutors said Tyler Bossetti, 31, of Columbus, took more than $23 million in investments from the victims, dozens of which lost more than $11 million. Watch previous coverage in the player above. Bossetti pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aiding in false tax filing. He faces up to 23 years in prison. His sentencing will be set at a later date. 1970s fish and chips chain Arthur Treacher's to make central Ohio return Between 2019 and 2023, Bossetti solicited short-term real estate investments while promising returns of 30% or more from purchasing, rehabbing, refinancing, and renting or selling residential properties, according to prosecutors. Bossetti used social media and third-party companies to solicit the investments, prosecutors said. He gave promissory notes that 'falsely claimed investments were risk-free and secured by real estate' that he owned. Fourteen false and fraudulent 1099-INT tax forms were also filed due to Bossetti, according to prosecutors. He admitted to 'misappropriating investor funds to further his lifestyle,' prosecutors said, including payments for a downtown Columbus condo, frequent travel, a $150,000 Mercedes and cryptocurrency investments. Bossetti hosts a podcast and runs Boss Lifestyle LLC, and Bossetti Enterprises, LLC. His Instagram account, which had 1 million followers, appears to have been deleted. Nearly 100 homes in Franklin County have sold for $1 million in 2025 He bills himself as an entrepreneur and investor on his LinkedIn profile. He also runs a Substack, in which he posts about financial topics to more than 87,000 subscribers. A post was made as recently as June 8. An attorney listed for Bossetti in court records previously told NBC4 that they would have no comment on the case. Bossetti has at least a dozen civil cases against him and his businesses in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, online records show. Many of the cases — dealing with alleged mishandling of money and investments — have been closed, but several remained active. In one case, he was sued for owing more than $30,000 in credit card debt on his American Express Business Gold card. The judge ordered Bossetti to pay $31,834.19 to the bank after he 'failed to properly answer or otherwise defend although duly served with process according to law by Certified Mail on 11/24/23.' Bossetti is also named as a defendant in another federal lawsuit, which was closed in August, where he was accused of failing to pay back $1.125 million by Nov. 30, 2022, for a $900,000 loan he received from Oak River Equity Ventures, LLC. He asked for an extension of the payment deadline after stating that he wouldn't have the money on time. The two parties agreed to an extension, with Bossetti owing a new amount of $1.162 million, according to the complaint. Bossetti failed to pay by the new deadline, but told Oak River that the payment was sent on Jan. 13, 2023, which the company said was false. A judge found that Bossetti was liable to pay a total of $2.26 million plus post-judgment interest due to a 50% interest rate plus a 5% supplemental default interest, according to court documents. In a second federal lawsuit, Bossetti was accused of failing to pay back another $550,000 loan. A judge ordered him to pay back the loan plus the 20% interest and 5% added on any delinquent principal, according to court records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo

13-06-2025

• Yahoo

All you can eat sushi, hibachi restaurant to open in Carriage Place Plaza

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A buffet featuring all-you-can-eat hibachi, sushi and seafood will soon open in the Carriage Place Plaza. The Feast Buffet, located at 2620 Bethel Road in the Misty Meadows neighborhood, will begin welcoming customers on Saturday, according to its website. The restaurant is taking over the building that previously housed Petland. The eatery's buffet will offer hibachi, seafood, sushi and other Asian dishes. The Feast Buffet is run by the same people who launched The City Buffet, a similar concept that opened in the Westland neighborhood in January. Lunch buffets at the new restaurant will cost $16.99 and dinner buffets will be priced at $24.99 to $26.99, depending on the day. Kids with a height below 36 inches can eat for free, while meals for children at or below 55 inches will be half off, according to the restaurant's website. The establishment will hold a lunch buffet Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A dinner buffet will be available Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m., Fridays from 3:30 to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.