Hello from St. Paul,
Yesterday, the Minnesota House approved legislation that addresses the mess surrounding the Minnesota Licensing and Registration System. The program, unveiled in July, has been a disaster for deputy registrars and many Minnesotans, myself included, who have been unable to secure car titles and registrations in a timely fashion.
It’s also caused financial headaches, as Minnesotans have already spent $93 million over ten years on a program that still isn’t fully functional.
While allowing $9.6 million to be allocated, we also approved a number of accountability measures that should prevent more reckless state agency spending. This includes an appointment of an information technology auditor to the nonpartisan Legislative Auditor's Office to closely monitor and report on the development and implementation of MNLARS.
The bill also includes a proposal requiring a request for information to determine whether a private vendor is a better option, and requires the Governor’s administration to seek an extension from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for REAL ID.
Last night Governor Dayton signed the proposal into law.
Minnesotans deserve a system that works, but we will also didn’t want to sign a blank check and throw good money after bad. This bill allows fixes to continue but sets up important oversight to ensure tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Have a good weekend,
Nolan