SAINT PAUL, MN – On Saturday, Governor Mark Dayton announced a veto of a bill authored by Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, to provide $9 million of aid to deputy registrars to help offset the numerous costs incurred following the rollout of the state’s vehicle licensing system, MNLARS. The bill, HF2835, passed on wide bipartisan votes in the legislature; 101-19 in the House and 46-20 in the Senate.
“By vetoing this bipartisan bill, the governor is once again failing to live up to his promise to take responsibility for MNLARS’ failures, leaving our deputy registrars behind as a result,” said Baker. “The failure of Governor Dayton and his agencies to produce a working licensing system is costing deputy registrars around the state countless dollars due to staffing of overtime work, slow processing times, and delays caused by MNLARS. It’s unconscionable to not lend a helping hand to registrars who are trying to navigate this broken system; the governor should be ashamed.”
Prior to Saturday’s veto, Governor Dayton nor his commissioners contacted Rep. Baker in an effort to reach a compromise.
“As chief author of this bill, the Dayton Administration never contacted me to tell me of any issues with our bill language to provide relief for deputy registrars,” said Baker. “He has apologized and taken responsibility for the mess, but is doing nothing to help people whose livelihoods he has hurt as a result of the MNLARS mess.”
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