Senator Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes) voted for a bill to get Minnesota’s failed vehicle licensing and registration system (MNLARS) back on track. Senate File 3133 appropriates $9.65 million for MNLARS technical staff and technical repairs using an existing special revenue fund. This funding cannot be used for new FTEs or an internal audit. No new general funding spending will be used for the repairs. The bill also includes strict oversight measures, including a quarterly report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor, and a mechanism for the legislature to shut off all funding if development benchmarks are not met.

“The DMV disaster has been causing stress and headaches for consumers, deputy registrars, and auto dealers for months,” said Senator Chamberlain. “While I wish they could have fixed it on their own, it has become clear more money will be needed. The governor’s recent proposal to raise DMV fees to pay for MNLARS fixes was a non-starter; taxpayers have already suffered enough, and I won’t ask them to pay more. Our plan uses an existing special revenue account, and demands strong legislative oversight and taxpayer protections. Going forward, Minnesotans can be confident they won’t be on the hook for more MNLARS waste.”

Senate File 3133 details:

– The bill creates a bipartisan MNLARS Steering committee specifically responsible for legislative oversight.
– The bill requires Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Minnesota IT Services (MN.IT) officials to submit to the MNLARS Committee by May 15 a specific timeline and benchmarks for MNLARS to become fully operational.
– The MNLARS Committee must approve any additional appropriations as benchmarks are met.
– The committee would have the ability to stop MNLARS funding if MN.IT and DPS fail to meet promised benchmarks.
– The executive branch, as well as auto dealers and deputy registrars, will be involved in the process by submitting reports to the MNLARS Committee.

After a decade of development and nearly $100 million spent, MNLARS was rolled out July 2017 and has been plagued with problems ever since.