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Russia's Debt-Ridden Drivers Could Lose Their Licenses

If approved, some 300,000 people would be affected by the bill.

The State Duma, Russia's lower chamber of parliament, passed a bill allowing debt-ridden individuals to be deprived of a driving license, parliament's website reported Tuesday.

The bill proposes to sanction individuals with unpaid alimony, unpaid administrative fines and non-pecuniary damages of more than 10,000 rubles ($160). The driving license will reportedly be returned upon debt repayment.

The bill extends to the confiscation of aircraft and ship licenses, as well as automobile.

The bill specifies that licenses cannot be taken from individuals officially recognized as handicapped, nor those who use vehicle as their main source of revenue.

If approved, some 300,000 people would be affected by the bill, a Federal Bailiffs Service official said, the RBC news agency reported on Nov. 11.

After Duma approval, the bill must be passed by the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house, and signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is scheduled to come into effect on Jan. 15, 2016.

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