In Texas, roughly 700,000 drivers face debt-based license holds under the Failure to Appear/Pay (FTAP) Program, i.e., OmniBase. These holds, unlike suspensions for dangerous driving, punish financial hardship by preventing license renewals for low-level, fine-only citations until all court debt is paid. This practice largely impacts low-income individuals and communities of color, pushing many Texans into poverty and unemployment.
Among Texas cities, San Antonio and El Paso are the heaviest users of the OmniBase Program. As a result, we've created a section with resources for residents living in San Antonio, Bexar County, El Paso, and El Paso County. There you'll find the names and contact information for the Justice of the Peace and Municipal judges in these jurisdictions