Rep. Frey Introduces Bills to Revamp Certain DMV Processes - Measures would reduce wait times, increase efficiency
HARTFORD – Concerns shared by dozens of residents in Ridgefield, and from across the state, led State Rep. John Frey (R-111) to introduce several bills to prioritize operations, reduce backlog and help Connecticut’s residents navigate the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Proposed bill 5930 - An Act Concerning the Duration of a Motor Vehicle Operator’s License and Motor Vehicle Registration - will authorize the DMV Commissioner to issue an operator's license for a period of eight years, rather than six, and increase the duration of motor vehicle registration from two years to three years. Several states issue operator licenses for greater than a six year period. New York State currently offers the longest at ten years.
“If there’s one universal complaint that I hear more than any other it’s about the operation of the state DMV, the wait times and the lack of efficiency in the system,” Rep. Frey said. “In recent years, our state has tried different commissioners, upgraded computer systems and has been moving certain processes to the Internet in an attempt to streamline the system. These bills would help bolster those efforts by reducing the need for motorists to be at the DMV as frequently by more closely aligning license and registration renewal intervals. I was pleased to learn today that Governor Lamont has embraced these measures.”
Proposed bill 6583 - An Act Concerning the Sale, Via Internet Auction, of License Plates Issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles - will require the Commissioner to establish and administer an online number plate auction program where certain number plates are publicly auctioned and transferred to the highest bidder and where each transaction costs fifty dollars or fifteen per cent of an accepted bid, whichever is greater. Revenue raised from the plate auctions would be deposited in the Special Transportation Fund.
“Many states hold auctions to allow motorists the chance to acquire desirable license plate numbers and use the proceeds to fund transportation-related infrastructure,” Rep. Frey said. “This plan would be similar with the money being put directly into the Special Transportation Fund to be used to repair deficient roads and bridges across the state. It’s a simple way to raise revenue for much-needed repairs without instituting a tax or fee. It would be a completely voluntary auction.”
In order to reduce the chance the combined legislation would not pass together, he also proposed each measure as a separate bill, including proposed bill 6974 - An Act Concerning the Duration of Motor Vehicle Registration - and proposed bill 6975 - An Act Concerning the Duration of a Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.
The 2019 legislative session ends at midnight on Wednesday, June 5.