(ONN) – A new bill could affect hundreds of thousands of Ohio drivers.

Ohio House Bill 29 makes it harder to lose your driver’s license and easier to get it reinstated if it becomes suspended.

Lawmakers argued that having a valid driver’s license is essential for Ohioans to participate in the economy.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Ohio Poverty Center believed prior laws were discriminatory against impoverished Ohioans and actually prevented debt resolution.

On average, there are more than 250,000 license suspensions imposed each year in Ohio.