H 4998 Massachusetts House · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relative to offenses while driving on a non-administrative license suspension

Bill H 4998 increases penalties for drivers who operate a vehicle while their license is suspended or revoked and cause harm. It establishes three penalty tiers based on injury severity: up to 2.5 years in jail or $1,000 for minor injury, up to 5 years in prison or $3,000 for serious injury, and up to 10 years in prison or $5,000 for causing death. The bill mandates automatic license revocation for 60 days to 2 years after conviction (longer for severe cases) and prohibits probation or parole for serious violations. It applies specifically to drivers who were ineligible for a license or had a suspended license due to prior violations.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Last action Jan 29, 2026
Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on The Judiciary
lower
0 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.