NC Driver's License (File photo)
North Carolina legislators say one of the most common complaints they receive from constituents is just how long it takes for motorists to get an appointment at their Division of Motor Vehicles office. Now House Bill 821 would impose a temporary moratorium on the expiration date on certain Class C drivers licenses.
Representative Jay Adams (R-Catawba) said the bill is intended to alleviate the concern that people have about getting their licenses renewed at a time that they are struggling to get an appointment at their local DMV office.
Representative Jay Adams (R-Catawba) (Photo: NCGA Screengrab)“Right now, apparently you cannot make an appointment to get your license renewal anywhere in the state,” Adams explained. “I spoke to somebody the day before yesterday who spent five hours getting his daughter’s driver’s license issued.”
Under HB 821, a Class C driver’s license would remain valid for a period of up to two years after its expiration, allowing the motorist to continue driving without the risk of penalty in the state while the backlog is cleared at the DMV. It would not apply to drivers with a canceled, revoked, or suspended license.
“Has anybody articulated from the department what these challenges are stemming from? Is it personnel? Is it funding?” asked Rep. Deb Butler (D-New Hanover.)
Adams told the House Transportation Committee from his perspective the NCDMV has moved away from their core responsibilities, and it would take a lot of reorganization to resolve the current backlog.
“I look at it from a business standpoint, and their operations are not very well organized,” Adams replied.
Rep. Phil Shepard, the committee co-chair, agreed with the bill sponsor.
“Just this week, I’ve received a complaint from a constituent. Her license expires in a month and she called to get an appointment and the appointment is after her license expires. So she said, ‘What am I supposed to do?'”
Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan) (Photo: NCGA Screengrab)Shepard also agreed with Butler’s suggestion that the legislature needed to study why the DMV was continuing to have problems in serving the public and how best to resolve those pressure points.
“This bill would basically be facilitating the incompetency of the DMV by alleviating them of the responsibility of their job,” responded Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan) bluntly.
Warren said while the current DMV commissioner has worked to modernize the agency, the position should not be a political appointment.
“I’ve been here for three different gubernatorial administrations, and I haven’t seen any improvement in that department worth noting,” said Warren.
Rep. Donnie Loftis (R-Gaston) said many North Carolinians wait until the final weeks before their license expired to try to get an appointment. He also reminded his colleagues that it often takes more than six months to fill vacant positions at many state agencies, leaving fewer workers to serve a growing state.
“That’s one of the major barriers, and I made the comment to the [DMV] commissioner if you don’t fix this, we’ll privatize it.”
North Carolinians wait in line at a local DMV office. (Photo: Clayton Henkel)Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announced in February his plans to leave the beleaguered agency as soon as a replacement could be found.
This week, the Senate included in its budget proposal a plan to establish a new nine-member Board of Motor Vehicles that would appoint the DMV commissioner, removing that appointment from the state Secretary of Transportation and the governor.
With Wednesday’s approval, House Bill 821 (Drivers License Expiration Moratorium) heads next to the House Finance Committee.
Rep. Loftis reminded his colleagues that even if the bill becomes law, North Carolina motorists would be wise to continue to seek their renewal in a timely manner.
“[If] you’re driving in another state with an expired license, that just creates more questions.”
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