A meeting of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 4 in Room 1200 of the Minnesota Senate Building in St. Paul. The purpose of the hearing will be to continue the committee’s oversight of the troubled rollout of the Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS). The public is encouraged to attend.

“When officials from the Department of Public Safety and Minnesota IT Services were before the committee in November, they promised fixes on the bulk of the technical issues,” said Senator Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson), chair of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee. “Given the continued – and understandable – frustration of people around the state, that clearly has not happened. Despite nearly a decade of planning and over $90 million in taxpayer funds, it still is not right. My patience is quickly running thin.”

“This hearing will be another opportunity for car dealers, deputy registrars, and consumers to testify about their experiences with MNLARS. I have also requested the attendance of state public safety officials to update the committee on the system’s implementation and provide answers to the ongoing frustration of Minnesotans. This issue is not going away until we are moving forward with certainty that Minnesotans are well-served,” Senator Newman continued.

If you are interested in testifying, please contact David Larson, committee administrator, at david.larson@senate.mn.

Senator Scott Newman is in his third term representing Senate District 18, which includes communities in McLeod, Meeker, Sibley, and Wright counties. He also serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee.